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…

Shinji grinned like mad over in the Vizards' warehouse. "You don't say?"

"What's he saying?" Hiyori demanded, trying to get as close to the phone as possible. Shinji held it away from her.

"Midnight?" the blonde asked. "The perfect time for a party."

"Party?" Rose piped up after overhearing. The rest of the Vizards were suddenly interested in this conversation.

Shinji laughed. "Oh, we'll be there alright. Goodbye."

"What's going on?" Love wondered.

"How would you guys like to attend a little…sporting event?"

…

Karin packed away a few of her most treasured possessions. She'd taken them from her room and then packed them in Ichigo's so she wouldn't wake up Yuzu. Everyone had left to make their final preparations for tonight. Their alibi was a road trip. Simple as that. Well, except for the fact that in three days, their vehicle would fall off a bridge. Currently, Ichigo was trying for something a little less permanent.

Speaking of the orange-haired devil, here he came. He'd been downstairs with Toshiro for a bit, trying to get everything sorted out. Orihime had been there too for awhile due to her own personal experience. She'd lost her older brother, Sora. Surely she'd be able to help Toshiro through this. The several temperature drops through the night had told her it wasn't working so well, but it had been warm for about ten minutes now.

"How did it go?" she asked.

That's when she realized Ichigo wasn't alone. He pushed the white-haired boy in front of him. Toshiro looked torn between embarrassment and irritation, arms folded across his chest, stare fixed on anywhere but her.

"Karin Kurosaki, I apologize," he mumbled, "for being so rude in the face of your kindness and hospitality. I shouldn't have taken my…problems out on you and everyone else. It was wrong and I hope that you will forgive me."

He was startled by her laughter. Karin doubled over. "All you had to say was 'I'm sorry.' I wasn't expecting a speech. Duh, I forgive you. That's what friends are for, right, Toshiro?"

He nodded slowly, as if still in shock.

"See, now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Ichigo asked.

Toshiro grumbled at the words. He didn't like giving sincere, deep, heartfelt apologies. Apparently, Karin didn't care either. This worsened his mood and he could feel his cheeks turning a faint pink.

"Now you're allowed to leave," Ichigo said. The boy shot off like a rocket.

"Where's he going?" Karin wondered.

"Probably somewhere less embarrassing," Ichigo said. "Besides, I think he doesn't want to interfere with our last day here. I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him in Soul Society."

"Speaking of which, I guess Dad's not coming home, huh?" Karin's shoulders dropped. I never thought I'd miss old goat face. Then again, I never thought I'd have to leave the World of the Living to stay in Soul Society.

Ichigo put a hand around her shoulder. "Maybe he'll come home today. You never know. At least we can call him."

"Yeah, I guess so," Karin mumbled. "We'll just have to focus all our attention on Yuzu then."

"Ah," Ichigo agreed. He glanced at his window. "The sun's almost done rising. She should be waking up in a little bit."

"Man, we haven't slept practically the whole night," Karin groaned.

"I hear you," Ichigo said. "C'mon. We can go get something highly caffeinated before she's up."

…

Toshiro watched the tail end of the sunrise. He was perched on the same railing he'd sat on to watch it set. Once the spectacle ended, he walked over to the trees where Katashi and Ichigo had hidden when they spied on him and Karin. He stood there for a second.

"Captain," Matsumoto called. She flash-stepped to his side.

"Yes, Matsumoto?" Toshiro replied.

"What you said back there…" she trailed. "You could have always come to me."

"You're my lieutenant, Matsumoto, not my mother."

Her eyes narrowed, hidden behind her long hair. "I know."

"There was nothing you could do. It's all in the past now." He turned away from the sight of the railing; back toward the path.

"Still." Her head dipped. "It hurts to see you in pain."

"Matsumoto," he groaned.

"And I thought it was nice when you called me 'Rangiku' that one time, even if you didn't realize it," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't try to cross the line."

"I'm not," she answered. "I'm only attempting to push it back."

He took a few steps forward, then paused. "But Matsumoto, I am…very sorry for the way I was acting."

She turned to look at him, but he was already half-way down the hill.

…

Orihime swung by the book shop with a heavy heart.

"Miss Inoue, I don't believe you're working today," the manager noted.

"I know," she said.

"Do you know where Hitsugaya is?" he asked. "He was supposed to show up yesterday."

Even the mention was causing her eyes to water. She bit her lip. Be strong, Orihime. Be strong. The man seemed to realize that something was wrong.

"Well," Orihime began, "that's what I came here to say. Ulquiorra was in an accident."

"Is he going to be alright?"

"I don't know," Orihime said, "but I really hope so. I came to give his resignation. And mine."

"Two of my best workers in the same day," the man sighed. "Although that explains this." The man drew Ulquiorra's ID out of his pocket. "I found it on the desk. I guess someone came by to drop it off, but there was no note."

"Um, I know this is a strange request, but can I have it?" Orihime asked.

He smiled. "Sure."

She held it close to her heart. It was the only picture of Ulquiorra she had. It became harder to keep back the tears. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She handed him her own ID badge and left. The wetness traveled down her face as she shifted into a run. He would have called me silly for crying, she thought to herself. No, don't talk like that. Captain Ukitake will find him and he'll remember me and everyone will be happy. Even if he doesn't remember me, we can become friends again. It'll be like Las Noches never happened.

"Orihime?"

The girl opened her teary eyes to see dark hair and glasses. "Uryu."

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I-I'm fine," she lied. "I'm just nervous about going to Soul Society. That's right. You're not going, are you?"

He frowned. "My escape plan fell through," he said. "As much as I hate the Shinigami, I'm going to go along for it, but not for them. I'm going to see if I can find my grandfather there. What about you? Are you going to try to find Sora?"

"To tell you the truth, I never even thought about it," she whispered. "Oh, I'm such a horrible person! But then again, what if Sora doesn't want to remember me? What if he's happy the way he is now? Maybe he's a Shinigami or going to the Academy. I…"

Uryu ran the rest of the distance and put a hand on her shoulder. "Orihime?"

"Why can't I stop crying?" she sobbed.

With a sigh, he gave her his shoulder to cry on. Her face turned chili-pepper red. "What…?"

He put his arm across her back. "I won't say everything's going to be okay because I don't like promising things I'm not sure of. We're all going to try our best, though, to make it okay."

She pulled back, face soaked. "T-thank you."

"You know, I'm surprised Kurosaki's going along with this," Uryu commented. "Usually he fights until he can't stand anymore."

"It's because he knows," Orihime said. "He knows that if he runs, then he still can't see his family and friends. This way, at least he'll have Rukia and Renji and everyone else from Soul Society. Uryu, aren't you going to miss your father?"

"Not really," the Quincy muttered. "We never got along well and when I told him about all of this, he said I was better off being with the Shinigami because I'd helped them so many times."

"Oh," Orihime said.

"Ichigo, his sister, and Tatsuki are the only ones who still have family left to miss."

"Then…we'll just have to make a new family."

Uryu looked at her in puzzlement.

She smiled brightly even through the tears. "You, me, Ichigo, Tatsuki, Chad, Rukia. Even Karin and maybe Toshiro. And…if we find Ulquiorra, he can be a part of it, too. One big, happy family."

Uryu couldn't help it anymore. He started laughing. "Orihime, you truly have a beautiful mind."

She blushed again. "Um…I…uh…"

"Did you finish packing?" he asked, deciding to change the topic.

"A while ago," she answered.

"Me as well," he said. "I was walking around the town for one last good memory. Would you like to come?"

"Of course," she agreed. She placed Ulquiorra's picture in her pocket. It would be safe there. It could be packed once she got home. No, not home. Not anymore. Once she reached her apartment. From now on, Soul Society was going to be her home.

…

Thank you: -SoManyUpsAndDowns- and fangirl666.

Fair warning: next chapter may be a little delayed.