She ran.

She ran until she couldn't run anymore.

And when she couldn't, she fell onto her knees and cried onto the pavement.

Why did this happen to her? She wasn't strong enough to handle this. She was never the strong one. She constantly needed others to take care of her, to protect her...to save her. Her brother saved her from her parents, Tatsuki saved her from her bullies, Ichigo saved her from countless enemies...

She continued to be a burden every single day of her life. When would she be able to step up and save herself?

She wiped the tears from her eyes and coughed. She was crying so hard she felt like she was about to vomit. The gravel from the pavement dug into her knees, stinging everytime her weight shifted. A big sob escaped her lips and she hiccuped, trying to regain her composure.

She was so busy trying to hold herself together that she didn't notice the presence standing over her.

"Inoue?" a manly voice called, and her sobbing ceased upon hearing it - she knew who that voice belonged to. She sniffled and wiped her eyes on her arm before turning around the meet brown orbs penetrating her soul.

Ichigo moved towards Orihime and reached a hand out to help her off the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern masking his voice. She nodded and grabbed his hand, embarassed at her behavior. There she was, lying in the street, crying after running away like some sort of crazy person. She hadn't held it together at all. And she never wanted her friends to see this side of her, especially Kurosaki-kun.

"I'll walk you home, Inoue." It was not an offer, but an order, and Orihime knew better than to argue.

Orihime stared blankly ahead, not making eye contact. She had so many reasons to feel ashamed. She knew Ichigo had seen that pathetic display of her crying and sobbing in the street. He had been present for all her failures, especially as of late, and she knew he must think less of her.

This is so embarassing! He's saving me again, this time from myself...is he going to spend the rest of his life running after me? How will he ever enjoy life if I am always there to burden him?

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime whispered softly, her words sounding like a peep from a bird. Ichigo turned to look at her, his jaw clenched tight.

"Inoue? What's wrong?" He asked, scared of what she may say next. He had followed her immediately after she had run away from school, and sight of her crying her eyes out while she was bent over onto the gravel made him feel... sick.

He was supposed to prevent that from happening.

"Why...why is it always me? Why...am I always a target? Am I so terrible of a person..." She trailed off, her eyes closing solemnly. She swallowed, embarassed to be exposing herself and her insecurities to another person - and not even any person, but Ichigo, the person whose opinion she valued the most. She felt like her heart was exposed to the bitter cold and she was afraid she was about to get frostbite - but she had to know. She had to endure. He had seen everything and though she hadn't been strong for him like she had wanted to, he was the best person to ask.

She just wanted to know why.

Ichigo swallowed. That was a great question. Why did people treat her the way they did? They were either trying to sexualize her, degrade her, use her, or make her feel small. Orihime was a bright, kind and beautiful person. She constantly gave to others and never asked for anything in return. She was smart, though clumsy and airheaded at times, which just made her more quirky and unique. She, of course, was beautiful; anyone and everyone could see that...

And yet, such beauty and kindness was met with such ugliness.

Girls had teased her in school, about her unique hair color, about her perfect body and natural beauty. They were jealous of her and treated her like she didn't belong; like something was wrong with her for possessing these ideal qualities.

Her parents...her parents, he nor she had ever knew, but they had known Sora. For Sora to have taken Orihime away like he did at such a young age, that told them more than they ever wanted to know. The abuse in her family must have been unbearable for such a young boy to take on the role as parent and protect his sister by running away and starting a new life; and from what he could see, they had never bothered to find her or make ammends.

He swallowed, a bitter taste in his mouth.

Grimmjow... had taunted her endlessly about her friends falling in battle and perishing, about healing him so she could watch him die again. He had called her names and had bullied her when she was already kept captive against her will.

Ulquiorra Cifer had taken her captive and broken her spirit little by little.

"Why did you save him just now? Why use your shield when you never have before? Why did you hesistate?" Green orbs pierced gray ones and shock played on Orihime's features.

"What? I didn't hesitate...I...I don't know what you mean!" a small voice responded, defensively.

"Let me explain it to you then, woman...," Ulquiorra murmured, taking a step towards the Princess.

"That's enough!" Ichigo had yelled, getting Ulquiorra's attention back on him. "It doesn't matter. Stop nit-picking everything she does." He said, irritated that Ulquiorra would imply what he was.

"Inoue, thank you for the assist. Now please stay back, it's too dangerous for you to be this close." Orihime had nodded, retreating to the sidelines.

"You know, you really like the sound of your own voice, Ulquiorra. Never pegged you for much of a talker, but apparently I was wrong." Ichigo had bellowed, desperate to stop his verbal attack on Inoue. He could see he was tearing her apart with his words.

And then there was Aizen. Aizen had used her for his own gain, and had laughed at her in the face in the process.

People saw Orihime's kindness as a flaw, as a weekness that could be exploited to get whatever they wanted.

He was sick of it.

"Inoue... here's the thing about the world. I learned a long time ago that people fear what they do not understand, and hate what is better than them. People see you and your kind heart and don't understand it. They do not get how someone can be the way you are. You care for others with no regard to yourself...and they see that as an opportunity to exploit you to get whatever they want. The problem lies with them and the rest of the world, not you." He emphasized the end, hoping to make it clear that she shouldn't feel the way she is feeling. She was not at fault here.

"-And while Tatsuki, Chad, Ishida and I know your strength and your kindness, the world will aways try and take that from you," He added, rubbing his neck. His eyes looked past her and he could feel heat rising in his cheeks.

"Is that why you always come to protect me?" Orihime asked, looking him in the eye. He blushed at the intense eye contact, and nodded.

"Yes. You are someone worth protecting...because you are pure of heart, Inoue. You should never lose who are... " He said, looking at his feet. They had stopped walking, and her eyes were fully on him.

"Ano...Kuroskai-kun...that is sweet of you to say, but... I don't think I am as great as you seem to think..." She flushed red at this comment, and forced a small smile onto her lips. Ichigo could still see the streaks left behind from her previous tears and to see her trying to put on a brave face for him made his stomach go into knots. How could she not know? How different she was from everyone else? How did she not know what made her special?

She couldn't be that blind, could she?

Ichigo took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't regret what he was about to say.

"You know...you remind me a lot of my mother..." He closed his eyes at this part, summoning the courage to continue.

"...She was my sun. She lit up everything around her with her smile and she shined just like a Sun is supposed to. She was always kind and understanding. She was safe, warm, and bright. She was the center of my universe because she was so pure and golden...and I would have done anything to have protected her..." Orihime's face was full of shock at what he was saying. She knew that his mother was a hard subject for him, and she knew she was held in the highest regard.

So for him to say she was like her was... truly heart-wrenching in the best possible way.

"You are a lot like that. You are bright, kind, and warm. Your smile lights up a room and when you laugh, we all have to laugh. You're understanding, and you shine, just like my mother did. That's why we protect you...that's why we all protect you, Inoue."

Orihime couldn't speak...what he was saying was too good to be true.

"The world will try and take it from you, but you can't let it. " He said, feeling really uncomfortable with this conversation. He knew that she needed to hear it though, and so putting his embarassment aside, he looked her in the eye to see her reaction.

She was crying, and for a second he thought he did something wrong.

"I'm sorry." She said, and Ichigo looked at her confused, searching her face for answers. She looked like she was in pain.

"Why are you sorry?" What on Earth did she have to apologize for?

"I... know how much your mother meant- means...to you. For you...to compare me to her is...such a compliment... and I don't think I deserve it. You're too kind, Kurosaki-kun. You've always been too kind," she took a deep breath in, preparing to finish what she had on her mind and in her heart.

"... And while I am glad that you could ever compare me to someone so great...it's just... it is not your duty to protect me. I never wanted to be your burden, only your equal. I don't want to drag you, Ishida-kun, Tatsuki-chan, or Sado-kun down. I just want to be strong." Her eyes found his again and she said with more clarity and strength than Ichigo had heard in awhile:

"I think I need to learn to save myself."

Ichigo tried to read her face. She thought she was a burden? That's what she took from that? Didn't she understand that he- they- all willingly protect her from anything? That they want to?

"Inoue, you are not a burden. Quite the opposite, really."

"You...you don't have to try and make me feel better, Kuroskai-kun. It's okay, really."

"You're the reason, the motivation. We all got stronger to protect you. Without you, there is no point. People like you, who are kind and innocent deserve to have people look out for them. We are better people because of you. So if you think you are a burden, you are seriously mistaken, Inoue. And right now, you are healing, and that is okay. You heal us everyday in more ways than one. It's okay to take time for yourself."

Orihime looked at Ichigo, reading his face. It was sincere, though she knew he would never lie to her so extravagantly.

For the first time in a while, a big, genuine smile filled her facial features and, just like the sun, it was blinding.

"So what you're saying is...it's okay for the Sun to go down sometimes?"

Ichigo smirked at her, happy to see some of her old self coming back to him.

"Exactly."

They continued walking in comfortable silence until they reached her place.

"Thank you for walking me home. I'm sorry I lost it back there." Orihime apologized again, a small smile on her face.

"Woah, hold up Inoue. There is no way I am leaving you alone for the night. I think today calls for some Laugh Hour, if you're up for it?"

Long lashes shot open, and gray eyes filled with excitement. Kurosaki-kun was going to hang out, with her?

"Are you sure, Kurosaki-kun? I know you don't really enjoy watching that..."

"Of course I am sure, silly. Now let's get inside."

Orihime let Ichigo inside her small apartment and saw him make his way to the living room. With his back to her, she smiled another bright smile and whispered under her breath:

"Arigatou, Kurosaki-kun."

.::.

A/N: This chapter is a little bit of a filler chapter, but I think it is good for building each character a bit more and starting to capitalize on their relationship. I also thought you deserved another chapter quickly for all the years of waiting.

Their relationship is growing and they are maturing - enough to speak to one another honestly and vulnerably - and right now, this is what Orihime needs the most - her insecurities brought to the surface and confronted. Ichigo is the person who she values the most and in talking her feelings through with him, she can really begin to heal.

As for my other fanfics (I have received a few questions about their next updates) I am going to try over the next few weeks to update each one and hopefully bring all of them to a close. I have to go back and re-read each one, as they were written so long ago that I need to remind myself of each plot. Please be patient with me and, as always, your reviews are so appreciated! They motivate me to write more.

Also, Aj - thank you for your kind review. It is really touching to hear that I helped you get into fanfiction!

Thank you,

Rachel