A.N: Wow! Thanks for the positive feedback, guys! Uryū's ability seems to be a point of interest and that I'm glad! He's da main man in this fanfiction so of course a lot of it will be focused on him and his power to look into the future. If you have a question just ask and I'll either tell you that it'll be answered in the next chapter or so, or either answer it in the top Author's Note! Okay, now that's sorted. (If you don't want to read this you can just scroll a little~)

JustGrace13,

"This is a really interesting idea :) I'm a little curious about Uryuu's ability though, you mentioned that it happens with anyone he touches or makes eye contact with? Wouldn't that make him kind of reclusive? Especially since it seems painful and he can't really tune it out."

Thanks! I don't even know how the idea came to me XD Probably on the toilet... Ideas always seem to annoy people when they use the bathroom... Anyway, onto your query. Uryū's ability happens only when he comes into contact with another person, say nudging or hands or feet touching or something along those lines. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear, the eye contact part is his sort of reclusiveness as you say, he hates having to go through what he does but he doesn't want it to control his life. He's too stubborn to let it stop him from doing what he wants to.

Cows are cute,

"Why did it take me this long to find this story? I love this a lot. Very interesting story and it's not like anything I've read before. Is it because Orihime has powers that Ishida can't see her future? It must be hell to be in Ishida's position and I think you captured how anyone must feel in that situation. Great story and please continue!"

Maybe since I'm a wallflower, my fanfic are wallflowers too! And thank you very much. And actually yes, you're spot on! Orihime, Uryu and more people as I reveal them all can't use their abilities on each other unless they are given permission. But I'll make sure that I go over more of that soon. Mhmm, to me, Uryū has the most painful ability but it's only because he's not accepting it. Thank you very much again for your positive words.

So that's that, I think! If I missed any questions I'll do them in the next chapter. I'm still not confident with writing but everyone's being really kind even though angst is my strong point '._. A lot of people don't take well (me included) to character deaths which I like to write often... Haha... There's no promises in this fic either... I'll try to restrain myself from doing so though...

Chapter 4: The Strawberry That Could Stop Time

~Friday~

::Ichigo's POV::

It's only been few days since the strange midget girl started staying with us. Her name is even strange... Rukia... Who the heck names their child Rukia? It's not even a name I've ever heard of before. But I guess being a guy called Ichigo is a bit strange too, I know it means 'one who protects' but still... I'm pretty sure it was my old man who came up with the name anyway.

I still can't believe that the strange midget girl saved me though.

I recall something Yuzu said and I can't help but compare the situation to when Rukia saved me...

~Two Days Ago~

A little kid walks past as I'm putting out my cigarette with my foot. He's playing with his bright red toy plane, he swerves it around in the air making revving sounds. He looks at me and suddenly his plane drops. The plane rolls across the road and the kid gasps, making a run for the toy. I see a beaten up, silver pick up truck turning around the corner. It's Keigo, I know. He was borrowing my car to take a girl out to dinner.

"Fuck!" I curse, running to the road to protect the little kid. My foot skids and I come close to toppling over but I scuff my knee, ripping a hole in my jeans. I put one hand in front of me, I feel the tarmac of the road scraping my hand but It steadies me so I don't care. My other hand is slapped down onto my thigh and I feel a burning sensation immediately.

Everything stops. The car, the little kid, the plane. Even a lone crow that was previously flying quickly above me. I decide not to think much of it, assuming the situation to be the work of adrenaline.

I find that I can still move so I shakily rush over to the boy, keeping my hand on my thigh. I use my free arm to pick the little kid up, I make a move to start running again but I spot his lone red toy plane laying lifeless, the reason I'm stuck in this position. With a sigh, I quickly swipe the toy but as soon as I move my hand from my thigh, everything begins to move again. Keigo spots us now, a panicked look crosses his face.

I sprint as fast as I can to get to the opposite side. Keigo tries to slow down the car but I can see he's failing. I take a deep breath, dropping to the ground and embracing the little boy as close as I can to my chest. I roll over to the pavement and I can hear a crashing noise and my car alarms go off. Keigo must've driven into something. At least it wasn't this little kid.

I look down at the child I hold in my arms, he looks back at me. His eyes are brimming with tears, I wipe them away. Grinning at him, I say, "Well. That was exciting, eh?"

He smiles a bit but then frowns again, "Mister...! Your face! It's bleeding!"

"Is it?" I ask, feeling the right side of my face. It was wet, so I bring my fingers back to look at them. There it was, blood. My fingers were stained with crimson red. He was correct, "I guess it is."

"D-does it hurt, Mister?" he questions, guiltily.

I smile, shaking my head, "Not at all. Guess I'm still pumped from running across the road like that."

The boy starts to wail, "I'm so sorry, Mister!"

"Shh... No, it's not. It's my idiot friend's fault." I tell him, looking over to Keigo who was hopping around my car, screaming. I was right though, it seems he managed to crash the car into a nearby lamppost, "And anyway! Stop calling me Mister! I'm only seventeen you know!" I add, laughing. It couldn't hurt to try to make the little kid smile.

He sniffles, "You are? You look older so I was scared of you before... But you're really nice!"

I start to get up, lifting the little boy up and then gently placing him down next to me. I ruffle his ash blonde hair, "So, what's your name?"

"My name is Nobuo..." he answers, shyly. "What's yours?"

I puff my chest out proudly, "It's Ichigo!"

Nobuo giggles madly, "But that's a girl's name!"

I give a mock gasp, "How dare you? It's a totally manly name for a manly young man!"

"Not!" he says, sticking out his tongue.

A woman with dark blonde hair runs towards us, I'm guessing she's Nobuo's mother. She's very pretty, her wavy hair is tied up neatly at the nape of her neck and her lips are painted a sweet pink colour. She's wearing a beige work uniform with candy pink high heels. She looks just like my mother... I'm filled with a nostalgia as I feel my heart swell.

She lightly picks Nobuo up, "Stop running off like that! You're going to end up giving me a heart attack! And what did I say about talking to strangers?" she chastises.

"Not to talk to them... But Ichigo's not a stranger! He saved me!" Nobuo exclaims.

Nobuo's mum looks at me suspiciously, "What from?" she asks, checking out my bleeding face and torn clothes.

"From getting hit by that truck!" he points to my car, Keigo still freaking out but now on the phone. Hopefully a car tow because I am not keeping that disgusting thing.

The mum gasps, turning to look at me, "You did!? I am eternally grateful to you! Thank you so much!"

I shake my head, "It's fine. I couldn't let him just get hit, he's very handsome though. And he's got your eyes."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" the repeats, her blue eyes shining over with tears as she hesitantly puts her son down.

"Ack! Please don't cry! " I exclaim, searching my pockets for any tissues.

She smiles, dabbing at her eyes with her long fingers. "Here, let me plaster that for you..." she says, gesturing to the cut on my face.

Nobuo's mum reaches into her big, black handbag, it's a bit like one my mum used to have. She pulls out a strip of plasters and rips one off with her teeth. "I always have to carry these around. You never know when you'll need one with a little boy as energetic as Nobuo!"

She gently places it over the scratch I can now tell is located above my eyebrow. "It's not the best," she begins, "But it'll do until you can properly disinfect that nasty thing."

"Thank you very much, Ma'am." I say, smiling.

She smiles back, "No. Thank you."

I chuckle and then realise I still have Nobuo's toy plane, "Oh! Here!" I hand the toy to Nobuo and he takes it, brightly grinning.

"Thank you!" he cries, hugging my legs tightly.

Nobuo's mum takes Nobuo's smaller hand in her own, "We better get going, thank you again!"

I wave as the two walk off. I dizzily put my hand to my head and Keigo rushes over. That was the last thing I remembered before it all went pitch black and I had woken up in Ishida's old man's hospital because my dad was away at a convention for the day.

I still don't know what that sensation was. Even though I keep telling myself it was adrenaline, I can't shake the idea of it being something completely different. And the tattoo that appeared on my leg that night when I was having a shower, what was that? The intricate design left me to afraid to touch it, as if it would become damaged. It was on my right thigh too. It couldn't just be a coincidence could it? Was that tattoo the reason time seemed to stop?

I yawn widely, too tired to carry on with my thoughts.

~Thursday~

It's lunchtime, we're all sitting out on the school's rooftop. And by we I'm meaning: Chad, Ishida, Keigo, Mizuiro, the new girl to our small gang - Inoue and lastly, yours truly. And yeah, Keigo's in the middle of telling some weird story to Orihime.

"I saw her and started feeling sick! I said 'My name is Pogo, you wanna jump on my stick?!' I rolled up my words and asked if I can pokerface! She didn't see the funny side and sprayed my face with mace..." tells Keigo, making all sort of gestures with his hands.

Inoue laughs, "That first pick up line was funny though!"

"My name is Pogo, wanna jump on my stick?" Keigo asks Inoue, giant grin plastered on his face. Maybe mace if he carries on.

Ishida growls, "Shut it, Asano."

"Is Four Eyes jealous?~" Keigo teases, giggling like a little schoolgirl.

Ishida reddens, "Of course not. You're just being impolite. You shouldn't talk to a lady like a sex object."

"If anyone's the object, it's me. 'Cause you know, 'pogo stick.'" explains Keigo.

"You don't need to explain! I get it already, dumbass!" Ishida rages, clearly becoming irritated by our annoying old classmate. At least with the new school year, we're no longer in the same class.

"Ahah! Guys are so cute and funny!" Inoue giggles, pointing at Ishida and Keigo.

"I'm the cute one and he's the funny in a weird way one, right?" Keigo asks, playing with a lock of Inoue's auburn hair.

Ishida gives a deadly glare. I know if Ishida didn't get so strange after being touched, he would probably rip Keigo's throat out. It's a bit more than obvious he has a 'slight' crush on Inoue.

Chad lifts Keigo up effortlessly and walks over to the edge of the rooftop. He lifts Keigo over the wall acting as a barrier so that the annoying teen is left dangling in the air, Chad being his human lifesaver. Keigo lets out a girly scream and Inoue can't help but roll over on the ground, laughing her head off. Mizuiro chuckles as he texts one of his many girlfriends and even Ishida is stifling a sound of amusement. I grin a bit.

Keigo's madly thrashing about now and I hear a group of girls on the ground gasp.

Inoue rushes to the side of the rooftop and shouts to the girls, "Don't worry! Yasutora-san never drops things! Even if Asano-kun kinda deserves it!"

Keigo whimpers, "My beautiful princess! How could you say that?"

Inoue giggles, winking at Keigo, "I'm mean when I want to be."

"Ooh! Secret personality! Me likey!" Keigo says, making a 'Rawr!' sound.

"Too bad you're not getting." Ishida retorts, wrapping his arms protectively around Inoue.

Inoue blushes, "Um... Ishida-kun?"

Ishida realises what he's doing and flinches back, "O-oh!"

Scarlet trickles up his neck, "Sorry..." Ishida apologises, moving away from Inoue a bit to sit elsewhere.

"It's okay!" Inoue chirpily replies, smiling innocently.

Ishida smiles back but keeps moving away, little by little until he bumps back into me. He winces, closing his eyes; waiting for something, it seems.

It doesn't look like it came and Ishida opens his eyes, confused. "What the hell?" he says to himself.

"Watch where you're going." I tell him, shoving him to the side. I was annoyed, but it was about something that happened this morning so really, I should probably get over it.

~This Morning~

Rukia tosses and turns in her sleep, groaning. She's sweating profusely so I dab her forehead with a damp flannel.

"Hisana..." she whispers, gripping the bed sheets for dear life.

A lone tear runs down her cheek. I wipe it away, biting my lip. She looks paler than normal and I can't bear to see the strong and stubborn girl I've already become so accustomed to, fall to pieces in front of my eyes.

She lets go of the sheets, saying a boy's name now, "Byakuya..."

Who the hell is Byakuya? Her boyfriend? If so, shouldn't he be the one to be bloody looking after her? Spending every moment with her? Why doesn't he care? He needs to be the one kneeling next to Rukia and supporting her when she's obviously struggling!

"I love you..." she whimpers and I lose it. I throw the flannel to the floor and stomp off. I shouldn't care but for whatever reason, I do.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue curiously enquires, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Huh?" I say, blinking a few times.

Ishida pushes his glasses up his nose. Such a smart ass... "You weren't paying attention. Kojima was saying something."

"Ah! Sorry, go on." I tell Mizuiro, turning to face him.

Mizuiro smiles, "It's okay. I was just talking about my girlfriend, she's having a party tomorrow and she wanted to know if any of my friends wanted to come. You, and everyone else who I've already asked of course, are welcome. If you want to I'll text you her address."

I nod, "Yeah, I'll talk to my dad about it." I won't. He'll just say yes anyways, so no big deal. And not asking him wouldn't give him a chance to start bitching about everything wrong with me. I don't need any fucking therapy, for God's sake... "But I'll probably be allowed. Oh, and I have a friend that's currently staying with me. If she feels a bit better tomorrow, would she be allowed to tag along?"

Keigo, now sitting safely on the rooftop wolf whistles, "She? Staying with you? Little Ichy Boy is growing up!"

I glare at him, "She's staying at the clinic because she was injured. We only met on Tuesday, idiot."

Keigo grins, "And you're already friends? Get in there, Ichigo!"

Ishida is concentrating hard. He rests his chin on his hand, frowning. Of course, I question, "What's up, Glasses?"

"Nn? Oh... Nothing..." Ishida says, obviously hiding something.

Inoue gently squeezes Ishida's hand, they've already become close and it's only her first week here. "Tell me about it later, okay?" I hear her whisper softly.

He shakes his head, "No, no. It's okay, Inoue-san. It's nothing big."

The bell rings, a shrill scream that I can't stand. I'll confront Ishida later, for now I better focus on getting to class.

A.N: Whee! Writing a full chapter in Ichigo's POV is fun! I love portraying him in this fic because while he's all fun and games on the outside he's really going through some tough shit but to him, it's his cross to bear and no one else's. I can't wait to get to the chapters where I really flesh him out and you guys get to learn about his smoking habit and maybe one he hides underneath his sleeves. Hint hint.