The next morning Orihime awoke to sunlight streaming into her bedroom as she rose of the bed and got ready for the day. She had to meet with some people along with her parents to discuss business plans involving both companies. She wasn't looking forward to being bored during her parents talks about business and expanding the plantations and mills. Once she was ready she ran downstairs to have a nice breakfast with her family. Ichigo came soon afterwards and sat next to her. There were all smiles this morning and Ichigo was of course happy to be in her presence now and when she would be attending the meeting. After finishing breakfast, the maids gathered their plates and cleaned up the kitchen. Orihime and Ichigo stood up and were talking close to the fireplace while waiting for her brother to return from upstairs.

He then returned shortly and Orihime and Ichigo decided that they would follow him out since everyone seemed ready to leave. Before Orihime could take one step everyone on the plantation was startled by loud simultaneous explosions and piercing gunshots. What's happening Orihime thought.

'We're under attack! Get back!' Sora screamed running towards Orihime. He collided with his sister and pushed her and himself to the floor as another explosion detonated from nearby canons. The sound pierced Orihime's eardrums as she fell to the floor. Panic flooded her very being to the core. The deafening sound resonated within her soul as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Orihime looked at Ichigo his face filled with confusion and fear. Never had she seen the young man before her panic. No matter what the situation he always remained calm, so for him to be in a state of panic Orihime knew things had gone awry.

They could not believe the calamity that was unfolding before their very eyes, in that moment it seemed like a surreal nightmare. A nightmare to which they would never wake and one that will change their lives.

A servant ran to the trio and shouted, 'the union soldiers are declaring war against us. We have to hurry out the back to ensure your safety!' Another explosion erupted out of the front of the house as she heard the deafening screams of panic echoing in her ears.

'No. NO!' Orihime screamed 'MOM! DAD!' she screamed to the top of her lungs. She started to move towards to door where her parents were before Sora's arm grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. 'Its too late. We have to run.' he said.

'No! I'm not leaving without them. I have to save them!' she cried. Her words were edged with pain as she cried and choked back tears. She pleaded with her brother tears streaming down her face but her grabbed her and Ichigo and they ran to the back where the horses were. They carefully mounted the horses and galloped away from the now burning estate making sure not to be seen by any union soldiers.

My home, my parents, my life Orihime thought to herself as she turned around while trotting to watch everything she had being engulfed by flames and shrink into the distance slowly disappearing from sight, from grasp and from mind. Everything that she knew in life and loved was erased in a matter of minutes. Sora told Ichigo and Orihime that they should head to the harbor since it was closeby and go back to England or somewhere safe since they would not be safe here during the war. They were living in the south run by the confederacy and could be killed by the opposing union soldiers if they were caught. The trio dismounted the horses at the harbor's entrance and quickly found a merchant ship that was getting ready to depart to England to carry this harvest of sugar. However, before they were at the docks another round of gun shots detonated behind them and four men on horseback were poised and ready for attack.

'They support the confederation. Eliminate them!' a man shouted approaching the trio. 'Run!' Ichigo told Orihime. 'Go, I'll hold them off!' he told her.

'No Ichigo!I'm not going without you. I'm not going to lose you too.' Orihime cried.

'Go!' he shouted' No questions! I'll be right behind you. I promise.' he told Orihime pushing her and her brother to safety. Orihime and Sora headed for the ship closeby that was ready to set sail to England. Ichigo pulled out a gun and a sword that was from the weapons cargo on the docks and started firing at the horsemen approaching. More soldiers started to emerge and the hope that he would return to Orihime was dwindling. No matter what the cost he had to protect Orihime and if it meant laying his life on the line then so be it. He struggled but fought as much and as best as he could against the relentless soldiers.

He realized that two men got passed him and headed for the ship that Orihime was on. He started to run towards the ship and fight them. He was able to hold them for a brief moment. He then made a hasty decision 'I'm sorry Orihime but I have to break that promise.' he muttered pulling the plank he would have used to board the ship and using it to smash some of the attacking men.

'No Ichigo!' Orihime exclaimed seeing now that he could not come aboard and that the ship was starting to sail away without him. 'Brother! you have to stop the ship Ichigo's not on it. We have to wait for him!' she exclaimed pain echoed in her words.

'I'm sorry Orihime there's nothing we can do now. Its too late. He sacrificed himself to save you if we try to stop his efforts will be in vain and we all will die.' Sora said sadly.

'How could you? We can't just let him die brother. If you don't save him I'll never forgive you!' She screamed feeling her heart breaking from her brother's betrayal of turning his back on Ichigo after all Ichigo has done for them.

'I'm sorry Orihime' he said once more 'but he would want it this way.'

The ship continued to move away and she saw his figure become smaller and smaller in her sight. Suddenly a large blast detonated igniting the whole harbor in its blast. The explosion sent a large smoke cloud which engulfed the harbor in smoke and flames. Burning debris was thrown into the air and other pieces floating on the water.

' !' Orihime shouted repeatedly through her tears. 'No. Ichigo you promised. You promised to always be there for me, to be with me, to protect me.' She screamed with all of her might as loud as she could.

'ICHIGO!' she screamed his name over and over again until her voice was hoarse and her lungs grew sore. Her voice was now cracking as the tears flowed uncontrollably like a river down her face. 'This can't really be happening.' she said between sobs. She clenched her hands into a fist before slamming them down on the ships rail. 'Ichigo' she whispered 'come back to me.' she said her voice barely audible. She started sliding to the ground her back now turned towards the harbor slid against the rails of the ship. She could no longer stare at the buring site before her eyes. It was making her sick to her stomach. Ichigo is dead she thought. Her knees buckled beneath her as she felt her heart and soul shatter. She felt as if her whole world came collapsing down and as if she no longer had a will to live. Without Ichigo she could never be whole again, without him there was no meaning to her life. She was in a very dark place right now. What will happen to her and her brother now she thought.

I want to die she thought for she could not live without Ichigo. Maybe I should just jump off the ship, we can be together again she thought. Pushing herself from the ground, she held on to the railing trying to pull herself up higher to jump off. Her brother saw what she was trying to do and grabbed her before she could proceed.

'NOO!' she yelled kicking and screaming 'I want to be with Ichigo again. Let me go!' she exclaimed but her brother gripped her harder and pulled her away from the railing. 'Orihime! Don't be so rash.' he shouted 'did you think about how I would feel if I lost you. Do you care that little for me that you would just throw yourself of the boat?' anger resonating in his desperate plea hoping Orihime would stop this frantic behavior.

"orihime come to your senses stop behaving this way.' Sora said. Orihime stopped and turned to face him. She then did the unthinkable and slapped his left cheek.

'He would have been alive if you waited for him' she said. 'why brother why?' she cried again.

Sora grabbed his sister and tightly embraced her. 'I know its hard Orihime. But I'm here for you we'll get through this I promise. I know you're hurting but it'll be ok. It'll be okay.' he said reassuringly feeling her shivering body as well as the tears which now dampened his shirt. She finally started to calm down a bit he thought.

He looked out to the horizon still trying to absorb everything that had happened today. He was hurting too, probably as much as she was if not more but at the moment he had to keep himself together and be strong for the both of them. What were they going to do now?

To Be continued.

(A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter please leave reviews. I want to apologize in case I got any of the historical details wrong...I was never good with history. Sorry. Anyways be sure to stick around for the next chapter so you can find out what will happen to Orihime and her brother. Don't worry ichigo is alive too I won't kill him, so if u wanna know how he survives read the next chapter when I post it :)