Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!

Bleach Star

Chapter Fourteen – Forming Bonds

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Orihime ran to the entrance of her classroom and looked inside wondering what the loud shriek was all about. When she saw Tatsuki and Rukia's eyes boggling out of their heads she knew instantly what it was up.

"Orihime! Orihime!" they run from their seats and clung onto Orhime, causing her to drop her backpack.

"We have backstage passes for One Star At Sea!" Tatsuki screamed into one ear.

"We're going to meet Sun Hime!" Rukia shouted in the other.

Orihime smiled awkwardly while cringing at the same time. It was killing her not to scream at them herself. Of course, it wouldn't be pleasant.

"That's exciting!" she said, faking her excitement.

"This is more than that! Imagine we go the concert and then we get backstage, Sun Hime is exhausted but still happy to see us. She gives us autographs, her number and invites us to some after party. We become friends forever and we always get free tickets." Rukia rambled all starry eyed.

I don't think that is going to happen.', Orihime thought.

"I am going to meet Moto. Me!"

Simultaneously, Rukia and Tatsuki leaving Orihime, fled to Renji. "Thankkkkkkk youuuuuu! You're the best!"

Renji grinned from ear to ear, "Well you…"
"Don't milk it." They said returning just as quickly back to their seats.

Renji winked to Orihime who returned a very faint smile.

I still can't believe this is happening

It was history and Professor Urahara left a message on the chalkboard stating,

'Get to work on the projects, I trust you to supervise yourselves! Good luck you're going to need it! P.s. I will not be attending class till the projects are finished :D.'

"He is the worst kind of teacher." Keigo Asano mumbled,

"No kidding." Tatsuki agreed,

"How is he even allowed to do this?" Orihime asked,

"He is .uh….special, best way to put it."

Uryu Ishida came next to Orihime's desk. "Should we get to work then?"

"Yea."

Some of the students left either to slack off or to study elsewhere. Renji pulled by Rukia were among those who left, along with Tatsuki and Chizuru and a few others. To Orihime's delight, Ichigo and his partner remained.

"So I looked up the kingdom you mentioned last time we met, there is a good amount of history in that place, so I think it's a great pick for our project." Ishida said bringing out his laptop and setting it on the table.

"I remember the Queen's name, it was Hisana."

"Hisana mmmm…" Ishida typed away on his laptop while Orihime peered to her side.

Ichigo was listening to Ryo, occasionally jotting down a note or running his hands through his bright hair in concentration. He was lean and attractive, even just with his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm. Since that morning she never met him again. He was always at school when she got there and he barely spoke to her on the rooftops at lunch. As much as she tried, she couldn't get him out her mind and she was beginning to think she didn't want to.

"-ruled together for twenty-five years till she die in an accident. There isn't anything here about what sort of accident it was though. I find that very weird, don't you?...don't you?...are you listening?" Ishida said looking away from the screen.

"Huh…" Orihime blinked twice then blushed when she saw Ishida starring at her.

"Umm, accident what accident?"

Ishida raised his eyebrow and re-read.

"Lady Hisana Shun, a noble of the Shun clan, and Prince Byakuga meet when Lady Hisana was eighteen. In a year, Prince Byakuga became king and another year after that married Lady Hisana. Five peaceful years later, Hisana was pregnant with their daughter Princess Rukia. Together, this couple ruled for twenty-five years till she die in an accident. Got that?" Ishida asked,

"Yea," Orihime said blushing again, Must not look at Ichigo, must focus!

"What accident?" she asked,

"It doesn't say here, trying to find another site."

Determined to stay focus, Orihime opened her notebook and wrote a few notes as Ishida told her about other things he thought they would need. She wrote for five minutes when Ishida sighed.

"What?"

"This isn't anything on the accident, seven sites no info."

"Hmmmm, well let's focus on the history of the kingdom, ummm I guess like the where the nobility starts and who founded it and such."

"Well, we could look at that for now; I think we'll still need something on her death though."

Orihime nodded in agreement and they got working on her suggestion.

With Ishida's skilled they gathered about a day's worth of information within an hour. Orihime was loving her professor for this match up. The bell rang signaling the class's end.

"Well, I have a free period if you still willing?" Orihime offered,

"I can't, chemistry lab next." He said shutting his laptop, "Give me your number though and I'll text you, so we could set up a meet."

If only I was partnered with Ichigo, we could've exchange numbers, sigh Orihime FOCUS!

"Sure." Orihime took the phone that Ishida handed her and added her number to his contacts. "There."

"Thanks, bye."

As he exited, Orihime stretched and let out a loud, "Ahhh." Everyone had left and she now had a whole free period by herself. She looked over wistfully to where Ichigo sat and sighed.

"Fresh air, I'm carving it."

She took her things up and stuffed them in her locker all except a small yellow notepad, then she walked to the sport building rooftop. It was forbidden for what reason Orihime didn't know but because of that it was normally quiet. When she got there the windy was blowing like crazy, self-consciously she'll touch her head just to see if the wig was still there, but the way she pinned it, that wig was going nowhere. When she was finally comfortable, she sat and opened her book. Writing her songs someplace high she found was the best way to. She always felt inspired and something always fueled her creativity, and made her feel like singing. And that's what she did.

"I'm a floating lyric, carried by the breeze,

hopefully to the one I so wish to see again,

with no path or guidance just where ever the wind goes,

and if it is meant to be, this will not be in vain…"

Ichigo sat on the stairs that lead down from the sport building rooftop to the school's soccer field. No one was allowed on this rooftop and that made it perfect. Students usually avoided going there unless they really needed quiet time. He propped on the wall incasing the stairs and sat sideways with his one of his feet stretched out. Whenever he did have a free period he would find his way there, sleeping most of the time or thinking about Yuzu and Karin latest project to make his life a happier one. He wasn't up there long before he heard someone walking on the roof. He listened as they walk and sat. He wasn't bothered, as long as know no one saw him, he was cool.

However, the 'someone' started singing. Very softly but he was close enough to hear.

"I'm a floating lyric, carried by the breeze,

hopefully to the one I so wish to see again,

with no path or guidance just where ever the wind goes,

and if it be meant to be, this will not be in vain.

I'm capture by something I can't explain, and I'm afraid,

because this is a place much like a dream,

everything is so real now, but later, it will all be but a memory…"

The girl stopped and sighed. Ichigo thought the voice was familiar and he got up and walked quietly up the stairs to the point where he could see. It was Inoue. She was writing in a notepad with a very solemn expression. Ichigo observed her for some time as she would pause, sometimes erase and then write again.

"Why are you here?"

Orihime jumped grasping her notepad to her chest.

Did I say that out loud? Ichigo thought while slapping his palm to his face.

"Hello?"

Ichigo sighed and slowly walked all the way up the stairs.

"Oh, Ichigo." Orihime said lowering her eyes.

His name sounded so different when she said it.

"Hi, Inoue."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was up here." She said, "I could leave."

"It's a public area."

"Oh."

There is was a long awkward silence, very long.

"You lied." Ichigo finally said,

"Pardon….?" Inoue said furrowing her brows.

"You lied."

"I don't understand."

"You say you can't sing, yet you can."

"You heard me?" she gasped.

"Yes."

"That was nothing."

"You write them too, doesn't seem like nothing."

Inoue lowered her head, "I… didn't mean to lie."

"Why are you?" Ichigo asked looking down on her.

"It is necessary."

Necessary, what kind of answer is that, he thought.

"What does that mean? Are you some sort of freak?"

"What? Noo… I-I…"

"Looks that way."

Orihime then looked up at him eyes fairly wide and surprised. "You're just like me."

"Huh."

"You can't tell me a thing, 'cause you're a liar too, more like a coward."

"WHAT!"

"You and your fake smile, there is nothing genuine about you."

Ichigo took a step forward, fist clinched, "Who the heck are you? YOU DON'T KNOW ME!."

"Maybe, just maybe I do."

Those words, that song…

"Leave."

"What-"

"Leave! I said." He repeated,

She didn't protest, but took her things up and began to walk away, however, she got in such a hurry that she rung her ankle. In an effort to keep herself standing she held on with both hand to the fence that surrounds the roof top.

"No-! Don't hold onto that!" Ichigo said running and reaching forward.

"Whaaa-"

Inoue wasn't even able to say anymore, the fence leaned right over with her holding onto it. That section of fence now clung unto two poles, one pole stronger than the other. Inoue shriek out, her hand got mangled in the mesh while she was trying to support herself as she was flung off the roof. She watched as one of her shoes dropped all the way down to the ground.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELPPPPPPPPPPPP!"

Her hands were sore already and beginning to sweat. She was about to panic.

"PLLEEASEEE! ICHIGO! ANYONE!"

"I'm here!"

Ichigo moved on instinct and held onto the fencing before it fell any further, he bended his body using the wall so he won't go over too. "Reach, reach for my hand!"

"I can't!" she said shaking her head, "I can't I'll fall."

Her voice became extremely small and her eyes watered and became red. Ichigo held and tried pulling up but he couldn't and if he tried reaching for her, they both may fall. His only choice was to keep holding onto the fence until someone came. He looked down at her, she was crying now and trying desperately to pull herself up. He knew her palms must be in pain now.

"Do NOT LET GO!" he shouted at her, "Do you hear me? DON'T YOU LET GO!"

Orihime looked up, her contacts getting hazy from her tears. She couldn't see him clearly but she held onto to his every word. She couldn't shout, she was panicking and as much as she tried, she could not scream.

"SOMEONE HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP! DAMN IT!"

Ichigo shouted trying to get the attention of anyone, he was strong and holding onto the fence was no problem for now, but he didn't know how long Orihime would last.

"It hurts, Ichigo, help me please." She whispered,

"Just hang on…HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLP….don't let go, promise!"

The weaker of the two pole snapped and with Inoue's weight the fence jolted down. Ichigo gripped tighter trying to hold it. Half of his body was now over the roof and the wire was beginning to cut into his hands.

"Arrrrrrgh!"

Inoue screamed as her hand was crushed in the sudden move. Bursting out in tears, her head rolled back in exhaustion.

"Save me…get me…down from here…"

"Want did I say- WHAT did I saaay!" Ichigo demanded,

"Don't…"

"Don't what? Inoue!"

Inoue felt her fingers slipping, if she let got her other hand would be wretched from the fence and she'll fall.

"Let…"

But her hand was slipping anyway, even when she tried strengthening her grip.

"Don't let what? HELPPPPPPPPPPPP SOMEONE HELPPPPPPPPPP!"

"Go."

So much happened at once, Orihime's hand slipped, Ichigo grabbed onto her other one with both his fence creaked and careened into the cement below and Ichigo felt him body being gripped by two people saving his and Orihime's life.

Renji just allowed Rukia to drag him to the library, through the aisles, to the computers and back through the aisles; anymore of this and he knew he'll lose his mind. She explained everything with those ugly drawings making Renji wished more than anything he was in a cell. At one moment when she thought he was in one section looking for some book she sent him for, he snuck out and wolfed down a bag of chips. He knew he needed to focus and get a good grade; he needed to prove to his mother that the influence of the Abarai name wasn't necessary but with Rukia drilling him he was willing to crawl back to his mother and beg for mercy. Sighing, he walked back inside in pursuit of the book.

What was the title again?

"Did you think I wouldn't notice you ditched me, fifteen minutes is a long time?"

"Uh…"

"I will not be working on this alone you slacker." She said poking him in the chest.

"Okay ,okay."

"Get those and come." 'Those' was this huge pile of books on a table.

"What am I? Your slave?" Renji hissed lifting them,

"Look at me, I so small and tiny, what if I carry those around and then my weak limbs collapse under the pressure and I end up like this?" Rukia dramatized the whole thing from pretending carrying the books to being a "pile of weak limbs" on the library floor.

She isn't right in the head

"Then you'll have to visit me every day in the hospital 'cause you'll be overwhelmed with guilt." She continued,

Renji just stared around the books at her. He wasn't even going to bother.

One aisle and two more books later, they finally got on the project. They decided to stick to home and research the history of Karakura. It was well developed city that went through a lot before it got where it was and Rukia was curious. She wanted to know all about the place she escaped to.

"That isn't right, it says here in 1820." Rukia pointed out,

"What do you mean that it isn't right, it says 1817 right here."

"But it excludes those years because it was under attack then."

"That doesn't make any sense." Renji shouted,

"Sssssssshhhhh."

The librarian stood over the two of then with her hands folded. "You two are too loud, keep this racket down or exit."

"Sorry." They said, with a warning glare the librarian strutted away.

"You can't just exclude three years, they matter regardless of what was going on in them."

"Well they cut them out for a reason." Renji replied leaning back in the chair he was sitting in.

"Three years of your life matter don't they?"

Three years of life your life matter, he thought,

Three years since he last saw his mother and set foot into Seirei, his home. Three years since he dived over the cliff of his homeland. Three years since he met his friends and learned to live on his own. Three years he roamed free.

"They matter right?"

Renji looked at the big eye girl, "I guess 1820 it is."

Rukia smiled.

This girl…

As they worked together Renji listened as Rukia hummed quietly to herself, he found himself glancing at her from time to time. She was so engrossed reading she didn't even notice. He didn't think this bright hair suited her, he felt it was too warm. He thought she looked more like an ice princess with those eyes. Maybe light blond or jet black hair.

"Black."

"What? Rukia asked,

Renji turned his face away, "Nothing."

"Focus Renji!"

Yoruichi was one of KT high's math teacher. She had the cover for two years now, she didn't know why she was placed there so early but she didn't question it. She found recently and she began questioning everything her boss did. At the last meeting she actually voiced her concern but it seemed she didn't think everything through but now she did and she knew. Picking up a book she opened it to a random page.

Renji Abarai was a vital part of this whole thing. He came here a year before she did, she didn't recognized him but now she knew exactly who he was. He kept his name but switched them and somehow got all his friends to address him only by his "surname" which was actually his first name. Clever.

She strolled through the library, walked up the stairs and looked down upon Rukia and Renji.

I could be looking at the future of Seirei right now, She thought, there is so much to be done.

"That can't be right." Rukia said raising her voice,

"So what now? I'm always wrong?"

"Well you proved yourself quite stupid."

"Baka? Stupid? Who are you calling stupid?"

"See what I mean? I just did and you're still asking!"

"That's it! I've had enough of you! Give me back my backstage pass."

"What? That was a gift, you can't take it back!"
"Watch me!" Renji said grinning.

"Baka! You can't do that!"

Rukia proceeded to knock him senseless with a book.

"OI Oi oi oi oi oi! Quit it!"

"No! Take this!"

Yoruichi watched as the librarian stalked over and smack them simultaneously in the head.

"Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

"This is a library, and clearly you two can't respect that. Until you can, GET OUT." She said pointing at the library exit.

"What a pair." Yoruichi whispered to herself.

Orihime and Ichigo sat next to each other in the Principal Yamamoto's office. It was him and Sado that heard Ichigo's cries and raced to their rescue; Orihime was till having a hard time imagining Principal Yamamoto 'racing'. The aged man faced them with his particularly permanent serious face. It made her tremble in her seat; he looked like some wise old sage with his long gray eyebrows.

Abnormally muscular for an old man!

She never imagined something so simple could go so wrong. She was jumpy and nervous especially now. Her sister was so going to kill her. Orihime held her other hand lightly, it was bandage but still throbbing from the pain. Her wrist was slightly sore from where Ichigo grabbed her but she didn't care. That soreness saved her life. Even after they were safe, Ichigo didn't let go till the principal brought her to her feet and dragged her to the school nurse. His eyes were steely as they gazed at her. He wasn't looking at her now though.

"What happened?" Principal Yamamoto asked?

"She tripped, held onto the fence and with her weight it fell over." Ichigo stated before Orihime could even answer.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I fell and Ichigo saved me." Orihime added,

The prinicipal raised his eyebrows, "It that all?"

"Yes." Ichigo answered,

"Did you both have a free period?"

"Yes." They answered,

"Why did both of you choose to go up there?"

"Because it was quiet." They both answered, Orihime blushed at they answered in sync.

The prinicipal glared at them, "What were you up to on that rooftop?"

Orihime eyes grew large and her face turned a deep red, "Whaaaa whaaa what do you mean?"

Ichigo sighed.

"Two young people alone in a quiet place sounds like the making of-"

"Sounds like the making of nothing!" Orihime said jumping up from her seat and placing her hands on his desk which resulted in her knocking down his mini globe.

"I-was-writing-and-he-was- well-I-actually-don't-know-what-he-was-doing-but-we-were-not and I repeat were-not-making-making….making anything!"

"Is that so, then why are you so red?"

That just made Orhime blush even more.

"I was sleeping, I heard her- talking, I startled her and she fell. She is very clumsy."

"I could tell." Yamamoto said fixing his globe.

Great, they're agreeing. Could this get any worse?, Orhime thought.

"Sit young lady. I believe you but still being on that rooftop goes against the school's rules and with good reason as you two probably saw today. So I'm giving you both detention after school. Be present in your class a suitable teacher will be with you. Dismiss."

"D-de-detention." Orihime said as she left the office. "I've never had detention."

"You'll live." Ichigo said,

"Umm- Ichigo, thank you and I'm sorry." Orihime bowed swiftly, she was apologizing for what she said on the roof. She didn't want Ichigo to hate her. She needed to protect herself even though so far she wasn't doing such a good job.

"Don't apologize."

"But well, what I said…"she began,

"It is okay."

"No it isn't, I had no right to say what I did."

"I won't interfere in your personal business again." Ichigo said his eyes meeting hers.

Orihime stepped forward, "That isn't what I –"

But he was already walking away and with his long strides soon well out of earshot.

"Meant." Orihime sighed, I won't interfere in your personal business again.

"Why does that sound do terrible?"

Thanks for reading!