Finally! Sorry it took so long. This chapter didn't want to be written. But here it is. Read and review!

Thanks to my beta Darth_Hawks32 for beta-ing this chapter. You have him to thank for me getting this chapter written. It was either write it or have ninjas sent after me. Obviously, I picked the first choice.

Also, this is dedicated to my buddy, copper-chan!

Orihime felt like she was on display. She had lost track of how many times she had caught someone staring at her. That caused her to become nervous, and she ended up accidentally knocking her cup over. Luckily, Ichigo had quick reflexes and managed to avoid the spill. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to be more careful, but he decided against it. She might start to cry, and he didn't feel like having all the women scold him for making his wife cry. He just hoped that the picnic would end soon. His nerves were frayed and about to snap. Not to mention, he was exhausted from pretending that he was happy with Orihime.

"Ichigo?" Orihime whispered, breaking through his thoughts. "Can you make them stop?"

When he glanced over at the crowd, some of them quickly turned their heads away and began talking to someone by them. He scowled. Why couldn't people just mind their own business?

"They'll keep staring no matter what I say. Just ignore them." He returned his attention back to his plate.

She followed his example. Maybe if I pretend they're not there, it won't bother me. She tried to enjoy the rest of her food, but it tasted like dirt. She finally set it aside, having only finished half of it.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Isshin asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm not that hungry." She gave him a tiny smile.

"B-b-but you have to eat to keep up your strength!" Isshin jumped to his feet and pointed at her. "If you don't eat, how will you have strong, healthy kids?"

Ichigo choked, and Karin, with an amused smile on her face, reached over to pound him on the back. Orihime's eyes widened, her cheeks turning crimson.

"Oh, Daddy. I think you embarrassed them." Yuzu spoke, worriedly looking from her brother to her sister-in-law.

When Ichigo finally managed to dislodge the turkey that had been stuck in his throat, he glared at his father. "Keep your comments to yourself, old man! It's none of your business."

"Yes, it is! They are my future grand-babies! I want a dozen." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"This isn't some store where you can place an order." Ichigo said, an incredulous look on his face.

"But-"

"Kids are out of the question." The doctor spat out angrily.

Those six words hit Orihime hard. She bit her lip, looking down at her lap. Of course. The letter said he liked children and wanted a large family, but Ichigo didn't write that. His father did.

Isshin sat back down, looking rather dejected. Yuzu patted his shoulder, murmuring quietly to calm him down. Ichigo had that familiar scowl on his face as he glared at his father. Karin had resumed eating, ignoring the chaos around her. Orihime, feeling sick, sipped at her punch and tried to act like his comment hadn't bothered her. After all, they hadn't really talked about children, and in order to have children, one had to-

Her eyes grew large and she nearly spit her punch out of her mouth. She quickly swallowed, praying that her face wasn't as red as she thought it was. Movement beside her caused her to glance up just in time to see Ichigo stand and walk away, muttering something about his crazy family. Karin finished shoveling the rest of her dinner into her mouth before she, too, left. Isshin and Yuzu were lost in their own little world, leaving Orihime alone.

She stacked the dirty plates together and set them beside her father-in-law, not sure what to do with them. She sighed. What should she do now? Should she stay here, or should she mingle with the towns' people? She couldn't see Nanao or Rukia from where she was, and wasn't entirely certain that they were still here. Nibbling on her lip, she decided to take a walk around. Perhaps she would meet someone new.

And meet someone new, she did. For the next five minutes, people wanting to know her name, where she came from, and how she had met Ichigo swarmed her. As they pressed closer to her, she began to feel completely overwhelmed. She tried to ask them to leave her alone, but couldn't raise her voice loud enough to be heard. She scanned the crowd frantically for a familiar face, but found none. Just when she thought that all was lost, someone yelled.

"Hey, why don't you all just leave her alone? Give her some room to breathe."

The crowd parted in the middle, and Orihime could see her rescuer. A busty woman with strawberry blond hair stood at the edge, a frown on her face and her fists planted on her hips. She wore a red skirt and an ivory shirt that, much to Orihime's shock, was cut lower than any other shirt she had seen before.

"Honestly, this is the very first time she's met you all, and you're scaring her. Is that how you treat newcomers?"

Orihime watched in relief as they started to disperse. She noticed that no one spoke to the woman and wondered why that was. Before she could come to a conclusion, however, the woman was in front of her.

"I think they'll leave you alone now. My name is Rangiku Matsumoto. You are?"

"Orihime Kurosaki." She took the hand offered to her and shook it.

"Kurosaki, hm? So are you a long-lost sister or niece?" Rangiku asked.

"Neither. I'm Ichigo's wife." Orihime stated.

"I've seen him around. So, how's he in bed?" Rangiku winked at her and laughed as a blush spread like wildfire across Orihime's face. "You must be newlyweds."

Orihime's mouth dropped open as she stared at the woman. She had never met anyone who was that blunt in her whole life. "I...well, yes, we are, but-"

"I used to get embarrassed, too, but topics like that don't make me nervous anymore. You'll be the same way in a few years, Honey." Rangiku spoke.

"Ah, I suppose, um..."

"Just call me Rangiku. May I call you Orihime?"

She nodded in bewilderment, and then studied the woman. She did seem a little strange, but Orihime desperately wanted to make a friend. Besides, she could never be so cruel as to snub a person. "Have you lived here your whole life?"

A shadow passed over Rangiku's face. "No. I moved here a few years ago."

"Do you have family here?"

"No, they died back East."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized.

"Don't worry about it." Rangiku waved her hand dismissively. "We didn't get along, so their deaths didn't bother me." She laughed. "Does my bluntness offend you? I always speak my mind."

Orihime's head spun. This woman was definitely unique, she thought as she watched Rangiku wink at a man who had been standing close by. She felt a blush burn her cheeks. Rangiku was so bold. "I've never met anyone like you before."

"Good. I know some people who would say that one of me is more than enough. Oh, I just remembered I have something I need to do, so I will see you later." Rangiku smiled and walked off.

"Bye." Orihime spoke. She stood there for a minute to get her thoughts under control. Rangiku exuded confidence and charm, two traits that Orihime had often wished she possessed. Her lips curved into a smile. Yes, she would definitely make some friends here. She could hardly wait to see Rangiku again and learn more about her.

Orihime jumped when a hand touched her back. Swinging her head around, she relaxed upon seeing her husband beside her.

"You shouldn't be daydreaming like that. Something could happen to you." He cautioned, his scowl deepening slightly.

"Sorry. I don't mean to daydream. It's just that I start thinking and then I lose track of what I was doing and where I was going and-" His finger against her lips stopped her ramblings.

"Orihime, I get it. You don't have to keep talking."

She nodded, pink tinting her face. A group of children laughing caught her attention, and she smiled as their mothers chided them, telling them to behave themselves. Tilting her head curiously, she frowned. So far, she had met Ichigo's father and sisters. What about his mother? She turned her gaze upward and studied his face. Maybe she was sick and hadn't been able to come. There was one way to find out.

"Ichigo, where's your mother?"

He stiffened. "She...passed away a while ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose someone you loved, Ichigo." She lightly touched his arm, only to have him jerk it away.

"Someone needs to see me. I'll be back."

She watched as he strode away and sighed. She couldn't say anything today without hurting someone. She hugged herself, feeling very upset.

When would she learn to think before she spoke?

Despite Ichigo's warning, she found herself lost in thought once more. She snapped out of her trance when raucous laughter drifted over from her right. Peering in that direction, she saw a man leaning against a tree and talking with another man. There was something familiar about that laugh, but she couldn't put her finger on it. A shudder ran through her body. Where had she heard it before? Another burst of that same laughter sparked an image in her mind.

She was hiding under a desk. Someone was outside the room, trying to break in. He said something, then left, laughing.

The pieces clicked together. This was the man who had pulled the trigger and ended her brother's life. This was the man who had sworn to get her next time. The world began to spin, and she desperately tried to stay conscious. She didn't want Ichigo to get mad at her for fainting again. Taking in slow, deep breaths, her hazy vision began to clear, but her body wouldn't move. Her legs felt so heavy. All she wanted to do was run away, but she was paralyzed. Only one thought ran through her mind.

He was going to find her, and then he was going to kill her.

Ichigo forced himself to calm down. It had been an innocent question. How could she have known that his mother had died? It was a sore subject, he knew. Ever since that day thirteen years ago, he had barely spoken about it. He had tried not to think about it, either, but that no matter what he did, it was always at the back of his mind, tormenting him. That one thought was present when he went to sleep, when he woke up, and every minute in between.

It's all my-

"Thank you for coming to meet me, Ichigo."

Ichigo stopped and looked at the man who had spoken. "What do you need, Byakuya?"

The black-haired man twitched at the use of his first name. "I need to know when Renji will be able to get back to work."

"I already told Ikkaku he'll probably be out for another three months."

"Are you certain that he cannot come back sooner than that? There is a lot I need to have done."

"I'm positive, Byakuya. Renji is in no condition to even think about going back to work. Right now, he needs to concentrate on recuperating. Then he can worry about work."

Byakuya and Ichigo stared at each other. Because neither of them wanted to be the one to give in, they were not budging an inch. Finally, Byakuya gave a nod.

"Very well. Then Renji will have to find himself a new job after he recovers." He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute!" Ichigo's eyes flashed as he stepped forward. "You can't do that to him! It wasn't his fault he got hurt and can't work."

"And I cannot wait for him to come back. I need help now. Since he is unable to work, as you say, I have no use for him anymore. I will find someone else to take his place."

The doctor grabbed his arm. "I swear, Byakuya. If you tell Renji he's fired, I will kill you."

The regal-looking man lifted his chin slightly, not affected by the comment. "Is that so? A doctor taking a person's life? That is something you do not see every day."

The orange-haired man narrowed his eyes. Did Byakuya's words have some kind of hidden meaning in them? Surely he couldn't be talking about that.

"I must be going now. I have a position to fill. Good day."

Ichigo watched the man as he walked off. He couldn't believe it. That bastard had just fired one of his best workers. He cursed loudly, not caring if anyone overheard. He was half-tempted to call after Byakuya and give him a piece of his mind, but knew that the Kuchiki's mind was already made up.

He rubbed the back of his neck. This was just great. Just when he thought his week couldn't get any worse, it did. He let out a sigh, then decided to collect his wife and leave. He was too tired to stay here any longer. Wondering if Orihime was still in the exact spot he had left her at, he headed that way. Two minutes later, he came upon her rooted to the ground. Her face was pale, and she was biting her lip again. Frowning, he touched her arm. "Orihime?"

She gave a cry, flinching away from his hand. Their eyes met, and he was surprised to see a glimmer of fear in her eyes. "Orihime?" He asked. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." She lied. "Um, Ichigo, do you mind if we leave? I'm kind of tired, and my leg hurts."

"I was actually coming to tell you that we're leaving. I need to check on Renji." And catch some shut-eye. He thought to himself.

"All right. Let's go." She began to move towards the place where the wagons were.

Ichigo cocked his head to the side. Something was wrong. Although he'd only known her for a few days, he could already tell when she was upset over something. He followed her, all the while keeping a close eye on her. He wasn't sure if she was going to faint or not, but he wanted to be ready just in case. She didn't need to fall and re-injure her leg. He rushed forward when she started to climb into the wagon by herself. Grabbing her arm, he hissed at her. "Why can't you wait for me to help you? Do you want to get hurt again?"

She gave him a wounded expression. "I'm sorry."

He waited for her to continue speaking, but she didn't. Now he knew that she was lying. Normally, if he had scolded her, she would have launched into an explanation as to why she had done that and how sorry she was. He shrugged. If she didn't want to talk, that was fine with him. He climbed in next to her, waved to his father, and slapped the reins across Zangetsu's back. The wagon lurched forward, and Orihime held onto the side with a death grip. As they passed by the murderer, she made sure to keep her face turned away from him.

She couldn't let him know who she was.

The ride home was silent. Much to Ichigo's surprise, he had come to expect her talking nonstop and didn't quite know what to do now that she was mute, but he wasn't about to strike up a conversation with her. Once back at the house, he assisted her off the wagon and led Zangetsu to the barn. He gave the stallion a rubdown and some oats, and then headed to the office. He debated about telling Renji what Byakuya had said but decided against it. The injured man was asleep when Ichigo entered the room. He gave him a quick look-over and was satisfied when there was still no infection. Crossing over to the window, he stared blankly into space.

What should he do now? As far as he knew, Renji was out of a job, and Ichigo didn't know of any place in town that was hiring. Unless, of course, that creepy store owner Kisuke Urahara needed help. He ran a hand through his already messy hair. There really wasn't anything he could do. He'd hire Renji himself, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to pay Renji. There were times Ichigo didn't even get paid. Or, if he did, it wasn't with money, but with canned foods, chickens, and one time he had even gotten a goat. Needless to say, Yuzu had adopted the animal and taken it back to her house. He hadn't minded, though. That was one less animal he had to feed.

The doctor let his mind drift to his family. Even though Yuzu was the youngest, she had become the woman of the house, so to speak, after the death of their mother. She cooked and cleaned, did the shopping, and patched up their clothes. Karin, on the other hand, wasn't as domestic as her twin. She was more apt to be outside, fishing or riding her horse. She even helped their father with the farm chores, much to his disapproval. Isshin wanted his little girls, even though they weren't so little anymore, to be well behaved, proper young ladies. Yuzu had no trouble with that, but Karin was a tomboy through and through, as was evident by her choice of clothing. Ichigo had lost count of how many times Karin had been grounded because she had refused to obey Isshin's order to wear female clothes.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. And his father. Who could forget that old man? He was so irritating, and acted like a child. There were times that Ichigo had felt like the man of the house instead of his father. He shook his head, grinning ever so slightly. Even though Ishhin was a pain, like Orihime had said a few days before, he was still family.

Then there had been his mother. Masaki Kurosaki had been the most wonderful woman he had ever known. She was so loving and kind, and then she had been cruelly snatched away. He closed his eyes to block the memories, but they swarmed past and invaded his mind. She'd had long honey blond hair, and a beautiful smile. He remembered that he always wanted to play with her hair. He'd combed and braided it so many times. She had been the glue holding the Kurosaki family together, and when she had died, they had begun to break apart. He wasn't sure how they had managed to stay together, but they had.

A flash of pain shot through his hand. He glanced down and noticed that he had been clenching his fist tightly, his nails digging into his skin. He relaxed his grip. That was enough remembering today.

Orihime had barricaded herself in the bedroom as soon as she had gotten home. She was so terrified that he had discovered who she was and that he was going to burst into the room at any second. She gave a strangled sob. He was going to come here and murder her, just like he had Sora. Maybe he would even use the same gun. Her heart nearly stopped beating. No, she couldn't think like that. She had to think positively. Maybe he had no idea as to who she was. After all, she didn't know if he knew what her name was. He had called her "Girl" so obviously he hadn't learned her name. So she was safe with that. But if word got out that she had moved here recently from Virginia after her brother's death...

She shuddered. How many people had she told that? Ichigo knew. So did his father, and Nanao knew, as well. Oh, and she couldn't forget Uryuu Ishida.

Pressing a fist to her mouth, she choked back a sob. There was four people who knew already. What if they had told other people, too? The whole town could possibly know by now. She flew into a panic and dashed to her trunk, making sure that everything was in there. She had to get out of here. If she wanted to live, she had to run.

She shut the lid, and then slumped to the floor beside it. Hot tears leaked from her eyes, but she didn't try to stop them. She knew she was defeated. She was going to die. If he did in fact know who she was and had followed her here, then it wouldn't matter where she escaped to. He would always find her.

What if this was some kind of sick game he was playing? Like a game of cat and mouse where she was the mouse and he was the cat trying to corner her and enjoying the chase?

Sora, I wish you were still alive! I need your help! Please. But there was no reply. She had known that there wouldn't be one. Sora was dead. He couldn't help her now. Truth be told, he was actually the reason she was in this predicament. If he hadn't borrowed money from whoever their boss was, he would still be alive, and she wouldn't have answered the ad and become a mail-order bride. She knew it wasn't fair to blame him. There was no way he could have foreseen the future.

She curled into a little ball on the floor, ignoring the pain in her hip. She didn't feel like moving to lay on the bed. She only wanted to sleep and not wake up until this nightmare was over.

When dusk finally came, Ichigo hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should continue to sleep in the office, or if he should now move into the house since Renji didn't need constant supervision. Then again, there was still the slight possibility of an infection, so maybe he should stay here for a few more nights, at least. He wavered in his decision upon looking at the chair on which he had been sleeping for the past few days. It wasn't comfortable at all, and he had the sore body to prove it. He would give anything to be able to stretch out on his bed.

But it wasn't just his bed anymore. Orihime slept there, too, unless he wanted to make her sleep on the couch. However, he knew that he would never hear the end of it if he did that.

He scratched his head and sighed. He should go check on Orihime. At the picnic a couple of hours earlier, she had mentioned that her hip hurt. He should have checked it when they had first come home, but he had gotten busy with Zangetsu and then Renji. Grabbing the bottle of laudanum, he made his way to the house. Silence greeted him when he opened the door. The first thing he did was check the living room to make sure that she hadn't decided to wash the walls again. He didn't find any evidence that she had been in there, and checked the kitchen next, praying that she hadn't gotten it in her mind to try to cook on her own. But she wasn't there, either.

That left the bedroom. Grumbling under his breath, he walked down the hallway and knocked on the door. There was no way he was going in without announcing his presence. He didn't want a repeat of what had transpired the last time he had done that. When there was no response, he frowned, and pushed the door open. "Orihime?" His eyes widened when he saw her lying on the floor. He hurried to her side and immediately felt for a pulse. He found one and sighed in relief. He assumed she was just really tired and had fallen asleep. But why on the floor? He picked her up easily and carried her to the bed. He paused, then slowly began to lift her shirt up to take it off. She stirred and he jerked his hand away. She rolled over onto her side and was soon breathing evenly again.

No, he decided. He would just take her shoes off. She could sleep in her clothes. He was never going to undress her. So he did just that and left, quietly shutting the door behind him.