In celebration of what I always knew would happen, here is your next chapter featuring our now canon couple.

:-:

And there's no remedy
For memory
Your face is like a melody,
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me
That everything is fine
But I wish I was dead
(dead like you)

:-:

Orihime hadn't felt so at ease in a long while.

Kurosaki-kun had watched Laugh Hour with her, had hung out with her, and most wonderfully, had made her forget for a moment that she was broken into many pieces. She felt comfortable and safe in his presence, and while she knew it wouldn't last, she was so thankful for a moment of relief from the anger, guilt, and shame that had been consuming her.

She silently thanked the little blue men for watching out for her by sending Kurosaki-kun to her side. They must have known she needed it badly.

They had ate popcorn and giggled at her favorite TV show, and sometimes she would look over and she would find he was already watching her. She wondered what that meant, but realized it was probably because he was making sure she wasn't about to have a nervous breakdown like she had earlier in the street; but she was thankful he cared about her sanity, anyway.

After the show ended, Ichigo had stayed and watched a movie with her – comedy of course, because only light topics were safe right now – and he had helped her clean up the kitchen. She had offered to make more snacks besides just plain popcorn, but he insisted that she did not need to cater to him and also because he did not want to eat bean past popcorn balls, but was too polite to say so.

Instead, he had made her soup (the perfect comfort food) and grabbed some blankets and enjoyed her company on the couch. For a while, they got to just be and not think or do, which was a relief to both of them.

When Tatsuki called to check up, Orihime had sounded more like her old self; there was at least some energy and color in her voice. She had explained that Ichigo was with her, and that she was okay. Tatsuki had felt relieved to know that she was in a better state of mind and wasn't alone. She told her to call if she needed anything, and not to worry about Ryo as she knew it wasn't intentional. Orihime had smiled a genuine smile and Ichigo had noticed, causing a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips in response.

When it came time to say goodnight, Ichigo had squeezed her shoulder and told her to call him at anytime if she needed anything. She had thanked him for the evening and for being a great friend.

"I don't know why we never seem to hang out like this. We need to make the effort to do this more often." He said, smiling a genuine smile and her heart had felt like it would burst through her chest at his beautiful words.

"Hai – we should find time to do stuff like this more often." She agreed, the butterflies in her stomach returning, but this time in the best way. Ichigo waved goodbye, looking over his shoulder one last time to make sure she was okay.

Before Orihime shut the door, she watched as Ichigo scanned the surrounding area to make sure nothing was out of place and no one was there that shouldn't be. Again, a small smile had made it's way to her lips.

The moment Orihime shut the door, it was as though a plug had been pulled and she was being drained of her happiness. She was fine when she was with others, but it never failed that the moment she was left alone, she felt bombarded by negative thoughts. She pulled herself into bed, ready to another restless night.

:-:

The next morning she woken up by a call from her Aunt.

"Ah, Hello –"

"Inoue Orihime! Have you lost your mind? Exactly what are you thinking missing so many days of school? I got a notice from your principal about your attendance and it is unacceptable. What, exactly, is wrong with you that you have been out of school for so many days? The principal said it medical reasons, but could not give me details. I want answers."

Orihime hadn't even thought to call her Aunt and frankly, did not want to have this conversation with her at all. She thought quickly of an acceptable excuse that didn't dive into too many details.

"I was excused for mental health reasons as well as physical reasons. I haven't been feeling well." She hoped that would be enough for her to drop it, but she knew it wouldn't be. Her aunt was persistent and mostly, uncaring. The terms and conditions set in their agreement were to be followed, and she did not care for deviations. Orihime often wondered why she bothered to support her financially anyway, as she didn't seem to want the responsibility nor did she seem to really want a niece.

"We all get stressed sometimes, dear, but that doesn't mean you get to leave class on mental health reasons! So unless there is more to it, I fully expect you to show up to your classes. You know that if your grades drop, the money to support you does as well. I'm not paying you to live there and do nothing!"

Orihime bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She didn't want anyone else feeling sorry for her and explaining to her Aunt what had happened sounded like more trouble than it was worth, especially when nothing could be changed.

"I promise that I don't miss school for just any reason, but I will make sure to get back on track. Thanks for calling and checking in."

"Alright. Don't slip up again!" and with that, the phone clicked. Orihime sighed. It was one thing to be alone, it was another to have no real family.

She missed Sora, especially now.

She looked over at the picture of her dear late brother and wondered what he would think about all this – obviously he would be angry, but there was more to it than that. He had taken her away from her abusive home to give her a better life, to keep her safe and happy. Her parents had had no problem abusing their children, her father a drunk, her mother – Orihime did not like the word whore, but that is the word Sora had used. Sora had mentioned once that even if he had trusted his parents to not hurt Orihime for crying too much, he often feared what they would plan for her as a grown woman. She hadn't asked for further details because that was enough for her to know.

Thinking back to this past week, she wondered if he would be sad to know his efforts had failed and that she had been abused and taken advantage of, anyway.

Her eyes welled with tears, thinking of the disappointment she must be and in the back of her mind, the fleeting thought came that she was glad Sora wasn't here to see her fail again. She should have known not to trust some strange boy at a party, to stay close to her friends, that no one could want anything from her that wasn't to gain for themselves.

Wiping her face, she picked herself up. She had to get ready for school. She glanced in the mirror, and her appearance was pitiful. She had dark circles around her eyes from all her tossing and turning, and she was devoid of any color in her cheeks. Her eyes were looking pretty lifeless, as though every negative thought she was having was reflecting in them. Her hair was a tangled mess and was lacking it's normal shine - probably because the only thing she had eaten lately was the soup Ichigo had made for her the night before. She was putting on a brave face, but she was forgetting to take care of herself in the most basic of ways.

"Well, I can at least do something about my hair." she sound aloud to herself. She climbed into the shower, turning it on as hot as she could stand, and climbed in. She found herself sitting in the shower, knees to chest, while the hot water hit her back. The water washed over her and felt good on her body, which always seemed to ache. She examined herself. She had had some minor bruising on her body from being thrown around like a doll by Orochi, Koen, and those two mean girls in the bathroom. They were faded to a light green and yellow color. She realized she could've healed them herself, but she hadn't spoken to her fairies since before the incident. She obviously did not blame them for what had happened, but she couldn't help feeling - resentful? remorseful? disappointed, maybe? - that she was equipped with these gifts that she did not deserve and she and they still did not keep her safe when she needed them to.

It was her own fault for being weak, anyway. Her powers we controlled by her will, and she obviously was willing herself into helplessness.

Orihime got up, and finally started to wash herself off. She shampooed and conditioned her hair, hoping to bring a little bit of life back somewhere.

Drying off, she found her uniform and pulled it on. She fixed her hair, clipping in her precious flower clips. Given to her by her brother, endowed with power because of Ichigo - she couldn't help but think again how she didn't deserve them.

She took them out of her hair and put them inside her dresser.

She looked in the mirror once again. Her hair was better, no longer tangld and damp from her shower, but her bland coloring and lifeless eyes weren't going to be fixed today. She sighed, grabbed her book bag and adjusted her shirt. With one last glance in the mirror, she headed out the door.

:-:

Orihime was nervous to be back in class after yesterday's incident – she was still embarrassed about punching Ryo, and she was still dodging questions about what had happened to her to begin with. Hitting Ryo had been an accident, but it still made Orihime feel terrible on top of already feeling terrible. She was never one to react violently or aggressively, and having her first reaction to the unexpected be to lash out was really tormenting for the young healer She shuddered, putting out that night from her mind. She wanted to apologize to Ryo immediately and then promptly fade to the background.

Orihime knew the best way to get the attention off of her was to act like her old self. Concerned looks and whispering were something she could not handle today.

Walking into class, all eyes turned to Orihime. she was getting used to the questioning and unwelcoming stares; but she put on a brave face. Show them you're okay.

"Ah yes, Good Morning Everyone!" She chirped, a fake smile on her face. She hoped if she went through the motions, then maybe they would treat her normally, and maybe she would feel normal.

"Good morning Inoue-san." Uryu replied first, adjusting his glasses. Orihime did not see his eyes narrow in suspicion; he knew an authentic Orihime smile from a fake one, but he let her continue on. She seemed to be trying, and that was good, at least.

"Ryo- chan. I- I, uh, wanted to apologize for yesterday. I really am truly sorry. I don't know what came over me." Orihime said, turning to her classmate with a nervous smile on her face. Well, she did know what had come over her, but she wasn't about to get into that long and dark conversation.

"Hey, it's okay Orihime. I know you would never hit me on purpose. Honestly, I'm fine." She returned the smile in Orihime's direction.

"I'm glad – I felt so bad yesterday." Orihime replied. "Are you okay though? You look really tired. Are you coming down with something?" Ryo asked, and Orihime shook her head. "Oh, no I am fine! I have suh a great immune system. I just couldn't get comfortable last night because the little blue men kept taking my blanket off of me and I had to chase them all over my apartment."Ryo looked at her, raising an eyebrow to her weird answer. Good, that's the usual response. Orihime grinned, though it did not reach her eyes.

Tatsuki and Ichigo caught her eye at the front of the classroom. She waved hello. She could see all her friends scanning her and watching her closely. She had to make sure they could see she was doing okay. She took her seat and pulled out her books.

"All right, all right, everyone let's settle in. Time for class." The professor's voice came. Orihime was glad for the distraction and was happy to sink down into her chair and blend into the background. She had never wanted to be a wallflower, but if she could disappear, even just for a moment, she would gladly welcome it.

I wish I could visit Sora.

:-:

Orihime was having an uneventful day by the time lunch rolled around, which she was happy about. She had spent lunch on the roof with her friends, and while they were still looking at her with concern and watching very closely what they said, the conversation was not on her and she was happy for that. She had finished her lunch and was spread out comfortably against the wall, legs crossed at the ankles and her head leaning back. She looked serene to any passerby, but her head was still buzzing inside with negative thoughts from earlier that morning, though the thoughts were not as overwhelming in the presence of her friends.

She thought about the disappointment in her life leading up to now, and she was unhappy with how many ticks she was checking off.

She tried to shake off the negative thoughts by remembering what Kurosaki-kun had told her during their conversation. She was worth protecting. She was like the sun. She was not a burden. We should do this more often.

While the words were beautiful, especially coming from Ichigo, she couldn't quite get herself to believe it. When Ichigo had said them, they had filled her with warmth and happiness, but as soon as she was alone, the feeling seemed to be just out of reach. She valued his words and believed he meant them, but she just didn't believe he was right.

She watched her friends on the rooftop, observing the happenings of the day. While everyone was more reserved than usual, they were relaxed and goofing off more than they had in awhile. Keigo was his usual self, begging for attention from Ichigo and Mizuiro, who had none to give him. Ichigo was sipping on a juice box, rolling his eyes at whatever Keigo was saying. Ishida was sewing and Tatsuki was reading, brushing up for next period's test. Chad, of course, was not speaking, just shaking his head at Keigo.

Finally, it was time to head to class. Orihime got up and dusted herself off. Chad handed her her book bag and she thanked him. They all started walking back to their lockers to get ready for their next class.

:-:

After lunch, she went to her locker to switch out her books. Opening her book bag, she noticed something that wasn't there before.

In her book bag was a sealed envelope with nothing scrawled on it. Orihime raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering who had placed this in her bag and when. She pulled the envelope out from the bag, suspicious of its contents.

Opening the envelope slowly, her locker still open and providing her with minute privacy, she pulled the first item out.

It was a letter. Curiously, she pried it open.

If you want to come out of this with any shred of dignity, you will do as instructed.

Go to the park by ABCookies tonight at 9pm. If you don't, I will make sure everyone sees these.

That's a promise.

Orihime gasped, surprised by the threatening message. She tucked the note into her pocket, eyeing the rest of the envelope nervously.

Swallowing, she pulled out the next item.

It was a picture.

More specifically, it was a picture of her.

From that horrific night, capturing one of the worst moments of her life. The few memories she had from that night came flooding back to the forefront of her mind. She was so overwhelmed she felt like she couldn't see, as the background faded away into nothingness and she found herself staring at the awful photo. Flashes of words and images came through her mind and she grabbed the locker door to steady herself. Her eyes were wide as though she had seen a ghost, and her skin was covered in a layer of sweat. There was barely any color to rain from Orihime's cheeks anyway, but somehow she looked even paler and her eyes swelled up with tears.

Her stomach dropped, terror striking her. Who had done this? Who had taken this? Why?

The photo showed her lying unconscious on a bed, her skirt in disarray and her ruffled top unbuttoned, exposing her bra. Her makeup was smeared and there was a hand in her hair.

Slowly, she pulled the next item out, dread filling the air.

Another photo.

This one was worse; her top was completely off, as was her bra. Standing over her was Orochi, sneering. She could see it was his hand in her hair from the last photo.

Orihime gasped, shoving both offending photos back inside the envelope.

"Everything all right, Orihime?" It was Tatsuki. Orihime wiped her eyes, trying to quickly compose herself.

"Ah yes, uh, I'm fine." She looked past her locker door to see Tatsuki with a concerned look on her face, and next to her was Ichigo. Orihime plastered a fake smile on.

"Are you sure? You sounded surprised there, Inoue."

"Oh, yeah, I uh, thought I saw a bug and it startled me." Orihime lied, hoping they bought the excuse.

Ichigo nodded, giving her an unreadable expression. She couldn't tell if he bought it or not, but she wasn't going to stick around long enough to find out.

"Well, I should really be getting to my next class, I'm already so behind, I don't want to be late now too. See you later!" She chirped, and before they could interject or ask more questions, she turned on her heel and walked to class, envelope clutched against her chest, her heart beating rapidly.

:-:

Alright, I am stopping there for now. I am so sorry about the time that has lapsed since the last chapter. I will try to make it so I don't update every 3 years - I have just lost motivation and time to finish this, as well as the fact I was suffering from severe writer's block. Hopefully, I can wrap this up in the next two chapters and I can only hope the quality of my writing is acceptable as I struggled through this. I hope this chapter depicts the cycle of someone who has suffered a traumatic event well enough - I have not experienced something to this caliber myself, but I really wanted to show the struggle between Orihime's resilience and strength versus the negative thoughts of blame, violation, and self hatred that come with it. Orihime is my favorite because of her resilience, but I wanted to do this story justice by showing the dark path that survivors experience as well as the cycle of one day feeling more like who you are and the next being right back at square one.

Thank you for all of your continued support.

R.