The questions have been pouring in – but I cannot answer them directly. In time, my chapters should. Thank you all for reading, and sorry for the delay. I finally got a day off! (:
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Ichigo ran as fast as he could, the panic setting into his bones. Orihime had fallen back asleep against his chest, too tired to fight the pain she was most certainly facing. A crowd of inebriated teenagers were looking at Ichigo with mixed expressions, some were curious, others horrified as they sobered up and realized the scene before them. Orihime was still partially clothed, her chest turned into him to hide her as much as possible. Hundreds of eyes scanned the girl in his arms, and Ichigo shot them a glare, and many turned away, realizing they were staring at her in a vulnerable state.
Once he was finally out of the house, he stopped for a moment to let everything sink in. The sight of Orihime's body, torn clothes and on display, made him sick. He made his way around the corner to escape the eyes of any passerby's he might run into- though there probably wouldn't be many, as it was late and night had long since set in.
Ichigo noticed that it had started to lightly rain, and he found that both ironic and fitting.
He always hated the rain, and it seemed the rain hated him. Every time it rained, something was taken from him. Rain automatically came with heartache, and Ichigo had learned to avoid it altogether.
He set Orihime gently on the ground so he could figure out what to do, careful to avert his gaze from her pale body. Ichigo wondered if the rage he felt would ever cease.
His fist slammed into the concrete of the building next to him. Searing pain that pulsed through his fist but he didn't care. He hit it again.
He didn't understand why these things kept happening, happening to her.
Why am I not strong enough? I still cannot protect the ones I care about...
He pulled off his jacket, ignoring the cold air as it sent a shiver down his spine. She needed it much more than he did. Her body was baren, exposed to the elements and the oncoming rain, and she looked all the more fragile and helpless lying there in the moonlight, skin that was usually hidden glistening in the light.
He slipped his jacket around her, and zipped it up, hiding her exposed top half for good. He sighed, feeling a little better now that she wasn't indecent, though he knew that wouldn't fix anything in the long-term.
He sighed once more, and ran his fingers through his damp hair.
"Now what do I do?" Ichigo thought to himself, slightly panicked. This whole situation was a mess, and all Ichigo wanted to do was jump in a time machine and stop it all from happening.
I knew we should not have gone to that stupid party.
He looked down at the girl's tear stained face. She did not wear a lot of make up in general, something he overheard other girls discussing in class one day and had been pretty annoyed about - clearly jealous that Orihime didn't even have to try to look as good as she did– but tonight, the little makeup she did have on was stained across her cheeks, the black eyeliner streaked down, tainting the flawless, creamy skin beneath it. It bothered Ichigo that much more, knowing she had cried.
He hated when she cried.
The makeup under her eyes looked a lot like bruises, and he wanted to wipe it off. Instead, he gently pushed her hair behind her, noticing her missing hairpins, and scanned her face to see if she was still breathing okay.
The expression on Orihime's face was one of distress, even in her unconscious state – her eyebrows were furrowed together, and she looked like she was having a terrible nightmare. Ichigo's stomach tightened when he realized that whatever her nightmare was about, it probably wouldn't be as bad as reality when she did wake up.
With one last glance, trying to be swift, he made the decision on what he needed to do. He pulled out his cell phone from his jacket pocket, and reluctantly dialed his father's number.
"Heeeelloooooo, Ichigo! Why are you calling me at this hour? Did you miss daddy?" his father's voice boomed from the other side of the line. Usually he would have made some sort of smart comment to his father about how annoying he truly was, but this was not the time.
"Listen, old man, something terrible has happened, and I need your assistance." He started, the pause hanging in the air at the seriousness of his tone. "I'm on my way home, and I'm bringing Inoue. Have the clinic ready."
"Alright, I'll be here waiting." Isshin's voice came through the phone, understanding in his tone. Ichigo clicked off the line, and put his cell phone in his back pocket. He turned his attention back to Inoue, and bent down to the sleeping beauty.
Even with the jacket on, she was still much disheveled – her hair in tangles, her shoes missing. He noticed her skirt was twisted the wrong way around, and he moved closer to her.
He fixed her skirt, a flash of anger coursing through him once more when he realized her underwear were no longer on her body. He kept his eyes on her face as he adjusted her skirt so that it covered her properly. When he finished, he lifted her back into his arms the same way he had before. Her head rolled back in her unconscious state.
He grimaced, fighting the urge to go back to the house and murder the men – if you could call them that-
Bastards, fucking disgusting bastards.
Ichigo made his way to his father's clinic, trying his best to avoid thinking at all. All it would do is motivate him to turn back around and finish the job.
When he wasn't forcefully trying not to think, he would think about the events that had unfolded in the last few hours. He would get stuck going in circles, back and forth between the disgusting men who had touched her, Orihime and the pain she was going to be facing within the next 24 hours and on, and himself – because he hadn't been there to protect her like he'd always promised. He'd failed her, in one of the times she'd need him the most.
Ichigo didn't know if he could ever cope with that. He could never forgive himself - and he wouldn't blame her if she didn't either.
Ichigo kept his brisk pace, wishing now more than ever that he had his shinigami powers – they would have already made it to his home, safe. Instead, he kept his gaze forward, refusing to rest his eyes on the beautiful auburn haired girl in his arms – it would break him more than he would ever dream if he did.
Ears ringing, eyes seeing red, he continued his way home.
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Tatsuki had been a bit confused and bewildered upon entering the upstairs bedroom. Once she did, confusion was instantly replaced by anger.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Tatsuki asked, her hands clenched in fists at her sides. Uryu and Chad were pinning two half dressed men – and there was no sign of her best friend or Ichigo, either.
"These two had Inoue... Kurosaki is taking her to the clinic…" Ishida said through gritted teeth. He had Koen pinned against the wall by his throat, though Koen was struggling to get free. Ishida sent a swift kick to his groan, causing him to double over in agony. "Fuck!" Koen growled, clenching his sides.
"What do you mean they had Inoue? What did they do to her?" Tatsuki hissed, approaching Koen and Ishida. Tatsuki noted that another man was lying on the floor, holding his foot. He gave Tatsuki a satisfied smirk.
"'What didn't we do to her?' is probably a better question. Bitch didn't even put up a fight – not that she could..." he trailed off, smirking. He tone was one of bragging, a smugness that was almost tangible.
"Why I oughtta-" Tatsuki started, only to be stopped by Chad. "Don't. The police are already on their way."
Tatsuki looked at the giant man, his hand raised in a stopping motion, and raised an eyebrow.
"No! I don't give a shit who is coming, he will deal with me first!"
"Right, like I am scared of a little girl like you," Orochi muttered. The vein in Tatsuki's head twitched.
"Let me go, Chad. The police will be here any second. I promise I won't kill him, but I need to do this." Tatsuki said in a low voice, her eyes full of hatred. Tears were stinging the ocrners of her eyes, both from anger and pain. How could this happen? This was supposed to be a fun, safe time...
"Arisawa – "
"Please." She pushed Chad, her eyes pleading with him to get out of the way. Chad sighed, taking a step slightly and Tatuski walked past him towards Orochi, who was lying on the floor. Koen watched interested, and Ishida looked on hesitantly, concerned.
"So you like to hurt people, huh? Men like you make me so sick, and burning in hell wouldn't be a big enough punishment for someone like you."
Tatsuki paused, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.
Standing over Orochi, she continued.
"You did that to her, for what? because you thought it was fun?"
Tatsuki crouched down to look him square in the eye, her nose less than an inch from his. Her eyes were full of tears. Tatsuki thought back through all the years she'd known Orihime, and her heart ached. All the things she had been through, and there would now be another thing to add to the list.
Her face when they cut her hair, before they had really been friends…
The teasing the school kids gave her about her hair color and her clothes…
The hurt feelings she had over never knowing her parents…
The night her brother died…
Her kidnapping…
The two Arrancar who made her feel like a monster…
The story Orihime had told her of Ichigo dying on the dome…
The guilt she had for not being able to heal Ichigo…
The guilt she had of not being able to protect Ichigo…
The guilt she had of not being able to bring his powers back…
And now this. Would this be the thing that pushed Orihime to her breaking point?
Tatsuki turned her attention back to the man on the floor, who looked extremely nonchalant.
"You're acting like I give a fuck, and I don't. Why waste your breath?"
"Yeah? Well I didn't expect it to." Tatsuki stood up and fixed her skirt, brushing off all the emotions as she did.
She turned to walk away, her eyes downcast. Ishida and Chad looked at her, unsure of what to do.
"Am I dealt with now?" Orochi's voice called to her backside, taunting. Tatsuki smirked slightly, her eyes covered by her hair.
The next thing Orochi knew, everything was black.
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Ichigo finally made it to the clinic, sprinting full speed inside to meet his father.
"Ichigo, what the hell happened?" Isshin said seriously, his eyes wide at Orihime's dishevelment.
"S-she…she was sexually assaulted. I need you to help her." Ichigo said, a graveness to his voice. Isshin's eyes widened in shock and horror for a moment. He regained his composure, and glanced at the girl that Ichigo had layed on the platform.
"I need you to help her, Dad." Ichigo repeated, his tone wavering. For a moment, Isshin saw a small, orange haired boy with tears in his eyes, calling for Masaki and his heart ached for his son. That boy had been gone for so long, Isshin wasn't expecting it. With a solemn face, he offered a nod in reply.
"Alright, well I know what I need to do. Call Ryuuken Ishida first, he has more stuff to work with and I could use his help. Next, I need you to call the police."
"They've already been called, I'm pretty sure they're back at the party…" Ichigo said, his eyes glued to the auburn haired girl on the table. He clenched his jaw.
"That's good, but I need you to call them to let them know where Orihime-chan is currently, and update them on the situation. They need to know everything, and they'll probably want to interview her and see her for themselves."
"Interview her? She's not even conscious at the moment!"
"I'm aware of that, Ichigo, but they're gonna question her as much as they can as soon as she wakes up."
"Alright. I'll make the calls right now..." Ichigo said, turning on his heel to enter the next room.
"And dad?" Ichigo called over his shoulder.
"Yes, son?"
"If she wakes up, you call me right away."
"Of course." Isshin said. Ichigo left Isshin with Orihime, missing the knowing look on his dad's face.
Outside, the rain began to pour.
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