Hearts of Glass, Steel, Fire and Ice

As winter began to melt away to give room for spring to bloom, Orihime found it much harder to keep her spirits up. The days were growing warmer and all Orihime could think about were the times she and Ichigo had spent going out into Karakura Town and even beyond the wall, enjoying the freedom the nicer weather brought. Not that they hadn't ever been able to see each other during the winter time, but one can't deny that frolicking in the fresh spring air with the whole world seeming to come back to life after a long nap is so much more invigorating especially for children.

Orihime would feel an especially sharp pain in her heart whenever she would wake up in the morning. She would get out of bed, walk to the window and stare over at the Kurosaki residence straight into the room where Ichigo used to sleep. Thinking about all the times when Ichigo would raise his window, scowling because his dad had once again tried to kill him in his sleep, before turning, smiling and returning Orihime's cheery 'Good morning!' Now all she could see in his window were the drawn curtains subconsciously telling her that Ichigo was gone forever.

When she looked over at the closed curtains, a small voice would often whisper in the back of her mind 'This happened because you weren't strong enough. You knew that Ichigo wasn't all right and yet you did nothing. Your weakness and lack of action has caused all this pain and suffering, especially on the Kurosaki family. Ichigo is gone forever because of you.'

However, for whatever reason that she couldn't explain, some small part of Orihime's heart would respond by saying 'You don't really believe that he is really and truly gone forever, do you? Can't you feel it? He's still out there somewhere.'

As Orihime prepared the mid-day meal one day for her and Sora, these thoughts and questions all revolving around Ichigo and whether or not he was truly alive refused to leave her alone. With her mind torn between scolding herself, trying to give herself a small amount of hope and also trying to make sure none of the food was over or under cooked, Orihime didn't hear Sora descend the stairs a little earlier than he usually did and enter the kitchen.

"Orihime, are you all right?"

Hearing her brother's voice suddenly coming from her left side, Orihime gasped and jumped slightly in surprise, but managed not to flip any of the vegetables she was sautéing in a pan out onto the stovetop.

Automatically, Orihime beamed up at her brother and said in her most cheery tone, "Good afternoon, Big Brother! You're up early today. Did you sleep well? I hope I wasn't too loud just now and woke you up."

Trying not to smile, Sora said, "Good afternoon to you too Orihime. Yes, I did sleep well and no, you were not too loud. I just felt like getting up early this morning for some reason."

Looking at Orihime seriously, Sora then said, "However, you didn't answer my question, Orihime."

He didn't bother asking it again since he knew that Orihime had heard the question and simply tried to avoid it. Orihime took a few moments to think about how to respond and as she did so, her expression went from bright and cheery to thoughtful and somewhat pensive.

Still keeping half her attention on the food in the pan, Orihime asked slowly, "I know I'm answering your question with a question Sora, but have you ever been torn between two ideas?"

Blinking, Sora replied, "Well, yes. There are plenty of times when I'm not sure which decision would be better."

Shaking her head, Orihime said, "Oh, I don't mean making decisions like what to wear in the morning, or what occupation you want to have when you grow up. I'm talking about being torn between knowing something in your head and feeling something in your heart. Has there ever been a time when your head told you something was completely impossible but your heart told you not to give up hope?"

Sora looked at his sister with an expression of sad understanding as he said, "You're talking about the Kurosaki boy. You think he's still alive."

Turning to look at her brother, Orihime replied, "Yes, I am thinking about Ichigo. I don't know why, but I can't shake this feeling that he's still out there somewhere alive. Maybe not alive and well, but alive nonetheless."

"And you want to go and look for him."

Sora stated it as a fact because he knew it was true.

Looking in her brother's eyes, Orihime said simply, "He left because he made a promise to me that he couldn't keep. As soon as he made it, for whatever reason, he was put to the test right away and he feels that he failed. He left because he felt that his mother paid the ultimate price for his failure and he couldn't forgive himself for being so weak."

Orihime stated these things as fact because she felt them to be true.

"I want to go after him because I also made a promise that I have failed to keep so far."

"You would leave everything to go and look for a boy you're not even sure is alive?"

The question was asked in a soft tone so that Orihime wasn't sure how to respond right away since it took her by surprise. It hadn't really crossed her mind that she would have to leave her brother behind since she knew he couldn't abandon his post as a part of the Night Watch. Even if he said he would, Orihime wouldn't have allowed it. If she left, unless she returned safely one day, Sora would never know if she was alive or dead. How could she do that to him?

Lowering her gaze, Orihime said softly, "I'm sorry, Brother. I wasn't thinking. Of course I won't leave you."

"That is a smart decision, Orihime."

Sora gently put his finger under Orihime's chin and raised her head until he could look her in the eyes before he said, "There are smart decisions and then there are wise decisions. Some choices can fall under both categories. You are a smart girl and you are wise as well. I know you will make the right choice."

"Of course, Brother."

A few minutes later, they both ate their meal and went about the rest of their day as they always did. In the evening, Orihime got ready to go with Sora to his post as she often did now. It was about the only time that she ever ventured outside the Inoue household anymore because she couldn't bear to walk around the streets of Karakura alone. There were too many bittersweet memories hiding at every street corner waiting to assail her.

Making small talk as they walked along, neither noticed the danger approaching them until it was too late. It all happened in the space of about ten seconds. The time it took for Orihime to turn to her brother and answer a question he had just asked her.

Orihime felt a menacing, scary and eerily familiar presence coming up behind her so she turned to see who or what it was. There was a low growl, the sound of heavy yet padded feet running and a flash of blue fur.

Even though he hadn't seen the creature coming, Sora's senses were just as sensitive as Orihime's, even more so because of his Night Watch training, so when he realized there was something charging at him and his sister he pushed Orihime away with one arm as he turned to face the charging blue panther. The struggled lasted for all of five seconds and finished with Sora being flung viciously against the wall of a building and sinking motionless to the ground.

From where she had fallen, Orihime had seen the entire incident without making a sound. After the panther threw her brother, it turned and looked into her eyes. Despite the fact that she had not moved at all, while looking into the startling blue eyes of the panther, Orihime felt as though she had been frozen in place. After what felt like several hours, the panther blew out a soft grunt before turning and vanishing into the shadow of a building.

For a few more minutes, Orihime sat staring at the place where the panther had disappeared not daring to move. She knew that as soon as she turned to look at her brother, reality would set in and she would have to face the facts about what had just happened.

Orihime was now alone in the world.

There were no other people on that particular street at that point in time, so Orihime was quite literally alone for a time. She was being given the chance to come to terms with the fact that she was alone. That Sora was gone.

Finally, she turned and crawled over to where her brother had fallen after he hit the wall. He had not uttered a single cry of pain or fear as he had turned to face the panther or when he knew he was about to die. In her heart, Orihime knew that Sora had done that because he didn't want to have his cries haunt her dreams for years to come. However, nothing would ever erase the memory of him being thrown like a rag doll or of her crawling over so that she could place his head in her lap.

Sora's face was peaceful. Not a trace of pain or fear. Just contented peace.

She brushed a stray strand of hair from his face before bending down to kiss her brother's forehead gently as she said, "Thank you Sora."

And then she wept.

Author's Note:

It had to happen. Ichigo and Orihime have both now lost someone dear to them, which gives them a sense of common loss.

As much as I didn't want to kill Sora, in order for Orihime to truly understand why Ichigo would want to leave Karakura, Sora had to be sacrificed. Now the circumstances she leaves the town will be different, she won't blame herself for Sora's death like Ichigo did with Masaki's, but she still did have to have a reason to leave. Also, this will become more important later, but Orihime can't have the desire to get back home to Sora along with wanting to find Ichigo once again. She can only have one deep, desperate desire in her heart and if Sora were alive, her heart would be torn and what I have planned wouldn't work.

I'm hoping to have the next chapter up REALLY soon so that Orihime can then begin her journey and things can become more interesting and maybe a little less sad.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and I'm really glad I'm posting this now so that I'm not in a turkey induced coma!