Hey guys! Its spring break, which means I should be able to update much more quickly now! Or atleast, the chapters should be longer. ANYWHO...

This chapter was kindof hard for me to write so if it's not that good then I apologize!

Once again, thanks for the reviews, they really do motivate me when I write the chapters and I feel soo super good when you guys like it. so...without futher ado...

Enjoy!

Ichigo rushed to get home. He didn't care if people gave him weird looks. He didn't care that he had work after school. He didn't care if his friends made stupid jokes or questioning remarks. He needed to get home to see her. To see if she was alright. To see if she was still there.

He burst through the door of the clinic, startling his father who was currently leaning over the bed.

He stalked over to the bed, trying to calm his breath.

"Hey its Ichigo! You must have really missed your dad if you come home this early!" Isshin said with an enormous grin on his face. Ichigo ignored him and came to the side of the bed. His brows knit together as he frowned. The patient in the bed wasn't Orihime. Worry and sadness settled itself in his bones and heart. He looked around the clinic to see if she was there. It was empty.

Isshin took in Ichigos' state. Seeing how he went from super high to low in a matter of seconds. A devious smile crept across his face as he saw an opportunity to tease his son.

"Ichigo! M'boy! What's the matter? You look like you lost your favorite toy," he said loudly, trying to contain his laughter as his son turned bright red.

"Nothing…it's nothing," he scowled. He ran his hand through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. Isshin wanted to take a picture of this moment. His son was so absolutely adorable!

The sound of the toilet flushing and movement caused Ichigo to snap his head towards the direction of the sound. Isshin saw him tense and excitement began to build in his shoulders. Isshin had to bite his fist to keep from laughing.

"Orihime-"he stops short, when a little old man, wearing brown bicycle pants and a button down blue shirt excited the bathroom.

Ichigos' whole demeanor fell and he looked completely crestfallen. Isshin couldn't contain it anymore. He doubled over in laughter, clenching his sides that contracted in pain.

"Bwahahahahahahaha! Ex-excuse me sir," he said through broken gasps. "But I think my son has a-a-a crush on you! Bwahahahahahahaha-oof!" he crumpled to the ground as Ichigo socked him in the stomach, muttering darkly about how he would kill him.

Ichigo stormed into his house, muttering angrily.

"Oh Ichigo your home," he froze mid step, not quiet believing what he was hearing. Slowly, he turned to face the living room, and sure enough there was Orihime, sitting on his couch with his little sisters. And that tiny jerk, Torshiro.

However, he didn't have time to hate Torshiro, because at that exact movement, the star of his wet dreams was sitting on his couch, in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxing shorts.

He grunted something incoherent, his face burning brightly all the way up to his hairline. He moved his book bag to his front. Hiding something that he really wished hadn't popped up.

"How was school?" she asked, a slight tilt to her head. It was then that he realized that she was braiding Yuzus' hair. Four pairs of eyes stared at him. It made his situation a bit difficult. He couldn't stop staring at her.

Her lips turned downward and her eyes came together. Realization dawned on her face.

"Oh…I'm sorry about your clothes. Your father said that I could borrow something from your room since I hadn't brought anything with me and your sister's clothes couldn't fit me. But if you're upset…I guess my clothes should be dry by now..." she looked down, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

"No that's not-"

"Big brother how could you be so cruel?!" Yuzu cried, looking up at him in condemnation.

"No that's not-"

"Yeah Ichigo, she had nothing to wear. You could be such a jerk sometimes," Karin said shaking her head.

"No that's not it!"

"I guess he just too immature," Toshiro said scooting closer to Karin.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" he yelled, still keeping his bag in front of him. Again, four pair of eyes stared at him, three widened in surprised. One smirking. He ran his hands through his hair, tugging on it. He tried scowling, but he was too embarrassed to do it, so he settled for looking away. "It's just that…you look really…Arugh! Whatever!" he stormed past them and up the stairs to his room.

He leaned against the door and tried breathing calm breaths. He still had half a hard on from seeing her in his clothes. He closed her eyes. Thoughts of if she was wearing any underwear flittered through. He groaned as the room in his pants grew tighter.

Gross thoughts. Gross thoughts. Gross thoughts. He mentally chanted. He drugged up the image that he once burst in on his father shaving his legs. One leg was up on the toilet. He wasn't wearing any underwear.

Like magic, his erection was gone and he was able to breathe comfortably.

He ran his hands through his hair, releasing a deep breath.

He began to peel his clothes off, throwing them in a pile as he went to change. As he rifled through his clothes, he realized that he was wondering less of what wear, and more of what would good on Orihime. He loved seeing her in his clothes. He was taller than her, so his shirt fell past her waist to her knees. And his shorts clung tightly to her curves.

His clothes looked better on her than they ever did on him. He was tempted to pack up all of his clothes and give them to her.

Shaking his head, he grabbed a shirt and a pair of shorts and threw them on.

He made his way down the stairs he paused when he heard her speaking to his sisters.

"…really gave much thought as to what I wanted to do…I would love to do something that would help people. Particularly young girls," she said softly.

"Why young girls?" Yuzu asked, intrigue coloring her voice. He heard Orihime sigh.

"When I was a young girl, my life was pretty hard. I made some really terrible mistakes, nearly all of which I wish I could take back. Being a young girl is really confusing, and I'm still not sure if I have it down pact and I'm nearly 18. Becoming a young woman didn't come with a manual, it didn't come with a to do and not to do list," he listened to her speak, captivated by her words. It seemed as though everyone else felt the same way, not a sound could be heard. Not even the subtle intake of breath.

"To top it off there was really no one who could tell me what was the right and wrong thing to do. I didn't have my mother, not that I would have even taken her advice, and I didn't have an older sister. All I had was my brother…Sora," she said his name with such a deep fondness and a hint of longing. It was easy to conclude that they had been very close.

"I don't want other girls to go through what I've been through…what I'm still going through…and if there's one girls who I can help if she is having problems similar to mines…then I would feel happy. I would be able to spare her the pain and burden that I carry around with me," she said softly. He could practically see the small smile that splayed upon her lips.

It was quiet for a few long moments. No one said anything as her words simmered.

"Wow, what happened to you?" Karin said, astounded.

"I…I made a mistake," was her hesitant reply.

Ichigo wondered what that mistake was.

Self-mutilations…

… Multiple attempts at suicide…

…Severe depression…

…Anxiety attacks…

… Subject was slit wrists vertical of the vein …

…Subject has tried to kill herself on 2 more occasions…

Once by drinking bleach, a second time by over dosage of antianxiety medication.

… There haven't been any accidents lately…have there?

Ichigo shook his head, trying to rid himself of those thoughts. Yuzu was asking her a question.

"…mistake that you didn't regret?" he peered around the corner to see her as she responded. She bit her lip and thought about it.

"Um…Oh! I know, it would have to be when I lost my virginity," she said proudly, unembarrassed.

Ichigos' eyes bulged out of his skull as he sharply in took his breath. Although he was insanely curious about this story (SHE WASN'T A VIRGIN! WHO WAS IT?! WAS IT THAT BASTARD ULQUIORRA?!) He didn't want his sisters to know about this stuff yet. They were still young girls.

He ran into the living room, grabbing Orihime by her wrist, and dragging her to the kitchen.

"Hey Orihime, mind if I borrow you for a bit," he rushed out, his face burning bright red. She made a surprised sound as he dragged her into the kitchen, stumbling a bit.

"What is it Ichigo," she asked, bewildered and confused. Her large gray eyes stared up into his. And for a moment, he allowed himself to get lost in them, forgetting why he dragged her into the kitchen in the first place.

"Ichigo?" she asked a bit concerned. He snapped out of his daze and looked at her.

"Oh…um…yeah…could you…could you not tell my sisters…about that…aherm, you know…" she looked at him, trying to decipher what he was saying. He blushed furiously, unable to look her in her stormy gray eyes anymore.

"Ichigo…I'm afraid I don't follo-oh! You mean you don't want me to tell them about the time I lost my virginity," she turned a bit red, but powered through. She didn't mind telling his sisters about it, they were girls. But Ichigo was someone who she longed for, emotionally and physically, so telling him would be way beyond embarrassing.

He swallowed thickly and grabbed his neck. He couldn't believe that he was having this conversation with her no less.

"…Yeah, that…I just…I don't think that they're old enough to learn about things like that," he said completely flustered.

She stared at him for a moment, tilting her head, her wide grey eyes searching his amber ones. His face burned furiously under her questioning gaze.

"I'm sorry Ichigo, but I can't do that," she said simply. He wasn't sure he heard her right; he was too busy staring at her lips and trying to plan a way that he would be able to taste them again.

"What?" he said.

"I said that I can't do that. I'm sorry," she gave him an apologetic smile and turned leaving the kitchen. He grabbed her elbow, halting her retreat.

"Wait, what you mean that you can't do that?" this wasn't making any sense. She turned around and looked him fully in the eye, a determined look in her eye.

"Ichigo, your sisters are young girls without a mother. They are at an age in which they are going to want to know things about that. If I can shed some light on it for them, then who are you to deny them that?"

He wanted to get mad, he wanted to be furious, but he couldn't dredge up those feelings. Not while staring into her eyes.

"Its…it's not right. They're too young!" her eyes widen at his raised voice and his grip tightening on her elbow. He cleared his throat, and loosened his hold on her, but not releasing it. "They're too young to learn about these things. I don't think it's appropriate," he partially begged.

"They're 13 Ichigo. Karin has a boyfriend,"

"The rotten little shit," Ichigo grumbled.

"Regardless of whether or not you like him, she's seeing him. They need to know this stuff," she urged.

He scowled, looking away. He wasn't happy about this, but he had to admit that she was right.

He was startled when her soft hand cupped his face, bringing his attention back to her. His face heated under her touch. Something thick and hard lodged itself in his throat. She had a soft smile on her face as she stroked his cheek. He leaned into her touch, his hand reaching to touch her face as well.

"Ichigo," she breathed softly. "I know that the thought of your little sisters growing up is a terrifying and you reject action. But they are going to grow up, and they are going to want to know this information. It's better that they hear it from me than if they find out the way I did," she smiles brightly, warming his heart.

With her stroking his face the way she was, he would agree to whatever she had to say.

"Aherm," someone cough. The two brightly haired teens broke apart, blushing guiltily. Isshin donned an insanely large grin.

"Well look at the two love birds all snuggled together in their own little corner," he said smugly. Ichigo smiled, Orihime faced burned brightly. "If you don't mind Miss Inoue, I would like to borrow my son for a few minutes," he said a grin splitting his face in two.

Her faced burned brightly as she nodded and ran from the kitchen. Ichigo glared at his father as the beauty wearing his clothes scurried out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now old man?"

!

Orihime returned to the living room. Karin was at the door, kissing Toshiro good bye. The scene was incredibly cute and sweet. Orihime suddenly imagine her at the door giving Ichigo a good by kiss. She shook herself out of her fantasy and made her way back to the couch.

"Oh Orihime! I love the fishtail braid you gave me! Could you teach me how to do it with your hair?" the adorable brown eyed teen asked.

"Sure," she sat down on the floor, folding her legs beneath her and grasped her hair in two different sections. "The key is to take your hair in two sections, and then take small locks and pull one under the other, like this," she began braiding her hair. Yuzus' eyes widen in amazement as she braided her hair. It took her a really long time because, one, her hand was still bandaged up and her hair was really long.

Half way through, she gave up and asked for Yuzus' help. The girl happily and excitedly obliged, taking great care and consideration in braiding her hair.

"Orihime," she whispered quietly.

"Yes Yuzu,"

"Could you…could you tell me more about when you lost your virginity?" she asked softly. Orihime was surprised, but this was expected. Of course she would have questions, didn't she just tell Ichigo that they would?

"Yeah, I would like to hear more about that too," Karin said, coming back into the room sitting on the couch.

"Oh, umm, yeah, okay." She shifted making herself feel a bit more comfortable. "Um…I wasn't that much older than you guys actually. I was 14, which is a bad age to lose your virginity by the way."

"Why? You did it?" Karin stated.

"I know, but sex isn't just about the physical stuff. It involves being mentally and emotionally ready for that. And at the age when you're just beginning to develop and your hormones and body chemistry is already out of balance, sex just makes you more confused and it's not as special as it would be if you were older. And the first time you do it should be special."

"So you're saying that the first time you did it wasn't special?" Yuzu asked, concerned.

Orihime sighed. "I'm afraid that at the time, I thought it was special, but now that I look back on it, it wasn't as special as it could have been…as it should have been...You see, the boy I gave my virginity to was a…is a very special boy and he will forever have a place in my heart. But we were too young to do what we did, and although I don't regret it, I really wished that we would have waited until we were older. I have a feeling that if we did, my life would be dramatically different." She smiled fondly down in her lap.

"That boy…did you love him?" Yuzu asked. Orihime looked up into her curious eyes.

"Well, yeah…I did actually. But at 14, everything is love which is why you have to wait, to make sure that it's love."

"Do you still love him?" Karin asked. Orihime looked her in her eyes.

"Yeah…I do. Still…love him… I will always love him. He was my first, and he truly understood me."

"So do you love him the way that you love Ichigo?" Yuzu asked. Orihime eyes widen at the girl. Surely she wasn't that obvious! Her face burned with great intensity and ferocity. She began to cough, choking on nothing but the air. The girls fussed over her, patting her back asking her if she needed water.

"No, I'm good…I'm good," she said taking deep breaths.

"So do you love him like you love our big brother?" Karin asked, peering into her eyes. Orihime was unable to look her in the eyes.

"How did you know that I had feelings for Ichigo," she asked embarrassed and caught.

"Don't feel too bad, we could totally tell by the way you two were looking at each other in the kitchen," Karin supplied.

"And if it makes you feel any better, he totally has the hots for you two," Yuzu reassured. Orihime was beyond embarrassed.

"You know, I don't think that this is appropriate conversation for you two so if you don't mind," she got up and made her way out of the living room.

"But Orihime," she covered her ears and ran away singing, lalalala, so she couldn't hear them. She ran outside and leaned against the wall of the house. The cool breeze bathed her skin, stirring her hair. She heard footsteps and looked. She gasped;

"It's you,"

!

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you old man," Ichigo growled at his father. Really, he was having an intimate moment with, literally, the girl of his dreams, and this old fart ruins it.

"Now hold on Ichigo, I know you wanted to get hot and heavy with the lovely miss Inoue, but she is injured and full of drugs so you really shouldn't take advantage of her," Ichigo threw a spatula at his head, his aim was true.

"She isn't on drugs and I'm not taking advantage of her you old perv!" Ichigo shouted.

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever Ichigo, however you like your girls served up is fine with me," Isshin said, waving his hand dismissively.

Ichigo growled angrily. "What is it that you wanted?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Oh yeah, I have some papers for you to fill out if you were serious about going into medicine," he said seriously. Ichigos' scowl dropped and he stood up straighter taking an interest in what his father was saying.

"Yeah, I'm very interested. What are they for?"

"Well, I've pulled a few strings and I was able to snag a few interviews with colleges and medical schools. All you have to do is fill them out and go to do a couple of interviews and you'll have your foot in the door," his father said proudly. Ichigo didn't know what to say. He had the urge to hug his old man, but he wouldn't let himself do it. He was pretty excited about this.

He couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting upwards.

"Thanks dad, that's awesome," he said a true genuine smile on his lips.

Isshin hadn't seen his son look this happy since his dearly, beloved wife passed away.

It was nice to see it again.

!

"It's you," Orihime gasped when she saw Ulquiorra standing several feet away. He looked as if he had something on his mind. He took in her weird appearance but didn't comment on it except for when he saw her hand.

"What happened?"

"Oh, I just had an accident, that's all," she said looking away.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked, his voice held certainty.

"Um okay, did you want to go somewhere?" she asked. He merely nodded. "Okay, just let me grab some shoes. I'll be back before you can say wasabi flavored bean paste!" she said, darting into the house and grabbing a pair of shoes.

When she looked up, she saw Ichigo staring at her.

"Hey I was looking for you," she blushed.

"Um Ichigo…I'll be back…Ulquiorra is here and he…wanted to…talk…but that's all…we're just…talking…" she didn't know why she felt the need to explain to him that she and Ulquiorra just wanted to talk. Maybe it was the way he looked slightly hurt. Maybe it was the way he made her hart jump when he held her wrist, elbow and cheek. Or perhaps when he was looking at her and the way her legs felt like wet noodles and her stomach coiled deliciously.

He shrugged his shoulders. Not saying anything, he turned and left. She felt her heartstrings tug, but she swallowed and gathered her shoes, leaving.

She gave a small, shy wave and walked up to him.

"So where do you want to go?"

"Not far…to the park maybe," he said quietly.

So in silence they made their way to the park. She kept sneaking glances up towards him. He kept his vision straight ahead and kept quiet. When they finally made it to the park, she sat on the swing and he just stood there watching her with deep interest.

"…So…what did you want to talk about?" she asked gently, looking into his deep, green eyes. He stared at her, not uttering a sound. Soon, she became nervous and began to turn red under his stare. After a few minutes of this, she became jittery.

"Ulquiorra, if there's something on you mind you shouldn't hold it in. It's not good for-"she was cut off when he abruptly knelt beside her and captured her lips in a kiss.

She was shocked. Stunned, really. But she quickly got over those feelings and melted into his kiss. His hands went to the sides of her face and pulled her close. Her arms draped themselves around his neck as she leaned into him.

They toppled over, her landing on him, yet their kiss was not disconnected. His hands trailed from her face to her back. She inhaled him, pressing her face hard against his, using her tongue to open his mouth a bit further. He obliged her, giving her better access to his mouth, pressing his fingers into her hips.

This was unexpected. She wasn't sure why Ulquiorra became affectionate lately. She kissed him with urgency; she feared something bad was happening. Her stomach was a stew of different emotions, elation, fear, love and confusion.

They rolled around until he was on top of her, pinning her into the ground. He released her lips, the look in his eyes held an innumerable amount of emotion. More than she'd ever seen in his eyes. He almost looked…sad. But that was ridiculous, Ulquiorra was never sad.

He leaned back down and kissed her, his tongue touched hers, sliding over it, as he kissed her intimately. He held on to her face tightly, as she gripped his arms holding him close.

This was it, she could tell. A cold tear slipped down her face as her heart began to constrict. She moved her lips against his, and held him tighter. She found that she had difficult time breathing as more and more tears fell. Her heart shuttered, and a sob escaped her mouth. He pulled back from her, his breathing slightly off. She pressed her forehead against his chest, her tears streaming.

He wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled them both into a sitting position. Their legs wounded around each other, as well as their arms. He held her as she cried into his chest, rubbing her back which made her cry harder and louder.

She couldn't help it. Her heart was breaking, and the shards sheared her insides. It was painful, it was unbearable. She knew that she was torn between him and Ichigo, but she…she couldn't lose him. She loved him, she truly and honestly love him.

"Orihime," he said quietly into her hair, his voice strained with emotion. She shook her head, her movements muffled by his chest.

"Orihime…please," her heart shuddered painfully at his pleading tone. She shook her head more forcefully.

"…no," she sobbed. He tightened his hold on her.

"Orihime…yes…you need to let me go…you deserve…so much better than me," he said quietly.

"No…I don't…I…I need you," she pleaded into his chest. He was being ridiculous, there wasn't anything wrong with him, and he was an amazing guy.

She felt him shake his head and the deep sigh her released into her hair.

"No Orihime, you don't need me. It's the exact opposite actually. I'm bad for you; I only confuse you and hurt you,"

"No, I forgave you for that," she cried.

"You shouldn't have," he said sadly. "Orihime…" he sighed deeply before continuing. "The reason that I didn't tell you about Loly was because you were an escape." She froze when she heard that name. She was torn between telling him to stop and not saying anything.

"The only reason why I was in a relationship with Loly to begin with was because our parents are business partners and my family pushed me into dating her. I did it because I didn't care. Emotions like love and affection didn't come easily to me and I didn't really care much for them…not until I met you.

"There was something about you that was so different from everyone that I knew. I was intrigued; I wanted to know more about you. You radiated love and you genuinely cared about everyone. You were kind and amazing and sweet and completely innocent. At first you seemed broken, so badly damaged… but as I got to know you better, I learned that you weren't broken, beaten down maybe, but not damaged. Someone as pure and good as you can never be damaged.

"I began to long for you; I felt for you…I felt love. I thought that it was irrational and completely useless. But the more you were around, the more I felt and I became addicted to it…addicted to you. Somewhere along the way I began to understand that what I was doing was wrong. But I was already in too deep," his normally low voice dropped a few levels. Orihime still clutched him tightly unwilling to let him go.

"When you gave yourself to me, I was truly in love with you I believe. Because that was the happiest I've ever been. But that morning, when you came down hurt and full of tears…I'd never felt so horrible in my entire life. That entire weekend I tried to make myself feel better. But all I could picture were you hurt expression and tears.

"I knew what Loly had planned to do that day. I knew that she went to your school to fight you. I was there. I watched and I didn't do anything to stop it, anything to help you…I'm sorry for that…Orihime. I'm sorry that I didn't stop her. I'm sorry that I didn't help you…I just thought that…I could overcome these feelings that you bewitched me with. If I watched you get hurt, you'll be just like any other person that I know…but you didn't fight back," his hold tightened on her, squeezing the air out of her. She didn't care. She just didn't want him to leave her.

"Why didn't you fight back? Why did you just lied there and took it? You didn't deserve that. That wasn't your fault. I couldn't answer any of those questions. And it began to eat me alive that maybe the reason that you didn't fight back and that you didn't blame me was because you still loved me…but how could you love someone who betrayed you…who used you….who just stood there and watched as you were beaten because of them?

"I realized that you aren't like anyone I know. You will never be like them, you're pure and no matter what anyone does, they can't taint you…I don't even think that you're capable of hate…just love. You need someone that will give you back all the love that you give…you need someone who will treat you better than I did."

"NO! Ulquiorra, I love you and I will always love you…please don't do this."

"Orihime…I know you love me…but you're not in love with me anymore."

"How can you say that?!" she pulled back and looked him in his sad green eyes with her tear filled ones.

"Orihime, if you were in love with me like you think you are, then you wouldn't have fallen in love with Ichigo," he stated sadly. She gasped sharply. Her eyes widen at him. He gave her a long meaningful look. "It is not possible to be in love with two different people. One of those loves isn't real. Your love for me isn't real. I ruined us, but I won't ruin your happiness anymore. Let me go Orihime…be with Ichigo."

Her mind was racing and her heart was breaking. She couldn't believe what he was saying. He was wrong. She was in love with two different people. She was the bad person not him. She was the monster, Ulquiorra wasn't the bad guy.

"Ulquiorra…I love you…I choose you," she begged him. But the words sounded false to her own ears. "Please don't leave me," she said in a small voice. He was right. Everything he said was right. But she wasn't ready to let him go. She was going to hold on to him for a few more moments.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said.

!

Ichigo couldn't help it. He knew that spying on people was bad and that you might hear things that you didn't want to know. But he couldn't help but follow the orange haired beauty as she and Ulquiorra made their way to the park. He hid behind a tree as she sat on a swing, and he stared at her.

That's all they did, for a really long time. Ichigo felt himself becoming irritated with him for following them when Ulquiorra made a move and began kissing her.

He was kissing HIS Orihime. The bastard! Ichigo wanted to rush over there and pull him off of her. But she began kissing him back. They fell onto the ground and they were making out passionately. She was into it just as much as he was.

Ichigos' heart crushed into pieces. He felt his throat tighten as he clenched his fist and his face darkens. He was hurt. But he had no right to be. He didn't have any claims on Orihime. And apparently she had made her choice. He turned to leave when he heard her cry. Instantly he tensed, he heard Ulquiorra say her name with a pleading voice.

His shoulders went ridged and grounded his teeth together. If that bastard was trying to coerce her into doing something that she didn't want to do. He'd kill him.

"…you need to let me go…" he tried hard to listen to what they were saying. It was hard because they were speaking in low volumes. But it was obvious that she was crying. He wanted to rush over and hold her. Beat the shit out of Ulquiorra for making her shed even one tear.

"…I need you…" Ichigos' heart bared a deep sadness. He didn't want to hear this. He didn't want to hear her confess her love to someone else. He leaned against the tree sliding down to the ground, his back to them as his mind swarmed, and his heart pounded painfully in his chest.

"I only confuse you and hurt you."

"I forgave you for that."

This was too much for Ichigo. It was becoming increasingly apparent that Ulquiorra was trying to break up with her. It was obvious that she didn't want him to. Something thick lodged itself in Ichigos' throat as he tried to swallow. His eyes burned. He blinked furiously, willing his tears not to fall. He would look like a complete dork if he cried. He hasn't cried once since his mother died, he wasn't going to start now.

"NO! Ulquiorra, I love you and I will always love you…please don't do this." He heard her cry. He shut his eyes tightly as the tears threaten to fall. One lone tear escaped. It curved around his cheek and down his chin, dangling before dropping onto his shirt.

He dug his palm into his sockets, light swarmed before his eyes. She said it. She said those three words. It's not like he ever had any hopes that she would say those words to him. But...

…did she really have to say them to him?

He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to hear any more heartfelt confessions from her.

He got off the ground and left the park.

As he walked home, he could only hear those words uttered from her lips.

I love you and I will always love you

He wanted to be dead inside and not feel anything. But he couldn't escape his own realization.

He loved her. He, Ichigo Kurosaki, was in love with Orihime. He was irrevocably, utterly in love with Orihime Inoue.

And she was in love with someone else.

!

He was home hours before she arrived. He was in his room, trying to come to terms that he was in love with someone who was in love with someone else. He tried; he really did try, to complete the applications that his father had left on his desk. But his gaze kept drifting out his window, wondering what Orihime was doing, and if she was still crying.

Then he saw her, walking slowly, constantly wiping her face with her hand.

His heart contracted painfully at the sight of her.

She stopped and stared at the door. It seemed as though she didn't want to go in. She wiped her face vigorously, attempting to hide her tearstained face. She didn't want anyone to see her, Ichigo realized.

He went to his window and opened it. Climbing out, he landed in front of the sad beauty. She was startled. Her large grey eyes, widened impossibly. They were red and puffy, her face was stained with her tears, and her lower lip trembled.

In that instant, Ichigo forgot all about what happened earlier. He forgot about her saying I love you to Ulquiorra. He forgot about her telling him that she needed him, or their passionate kisses that they shared in the park.

In that instant, all her wanted to do was comfort her. He just wanted to rid that look from her face.

She didn't get a chance to say anything before he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight.

She stood still in his arms for a moment. Unsure of what was going on, but then he felt her relax and wrapped her arms around him. He squeezed tighter. Seeing her sad, made him forget all about his own sadness.

He pulled away from her, and used the pad of his thumbs to wipe away her tears. He turned his back to her and knelt down.

"Get on," he said. He could feel her hesitating.

"Do you want to explain to them why you're crying?" he asked gently. He could feel her shaking her head, the orange locks wiping about her face. "Then get on." Slowly and hesitantly, she climbed aboard his back, he grabbed her thighs, wrapping them tight around his torso, and made his way to the side of his house, where he proceeded to climb up the balcony, and into his father's room. He was grateful that his widow was opened, it always was, and that it was empty.

Orihime climbed down off his back. He grabbed her uninjured hand and led her to his room, locking the door behind them.

She looked slightly embarrassed, but mostly, she looked like she wanted to cry. He didn't know how to cheer her up. He was so lost. So he just led her to his bed, and held her as she cried silently.

She collapsed against his chest, her soft body shuddering with dry heaves. He laid her down on his bed, pulling his covers up around her. She wouldn't let go of him. So he lied beside her, her face pressed against his chest.

They fell asleep in each other's arms.

!

Tatsuki stepped out of the airport and gave her phone one more glance. She had tried calling Orihime's cell over 15 times since she was disqualified from the tournament. She wanted to go straight to her house and see about her. But it was 1 o'clock in the morning and her parents insisted that she go home and go to sleep. She had to admit that she was tired, she was exhausted really.

She loaded her things in her dad's car, closing the trunk with a final, thunk. She would check on Orihime first thing in the morning. She thought to herself as she buckled her seat belt.

Before the car left the airport, she was out cold.

Ooohhh. I'll try to post a new chapter soon.