Orihime Inoue dreams of peace.

She knows this much: she is a preschool teacher. Her students love her. She is married to Kurosaki Ichigo and they have two beautiful kids, who take after their parents. They are a family and Orihime always wanted a family.

In her sleep, there are no world shattering revelations or adrenaline fueled battles. Exhaustion never plagues her body or her mind. And there is no ultimatum. Time doesn't matter in paradise.

She is safe. Her friends are safe.

Orihime wakes up with a start and she lifts her head with a jerk, like a puppet pulled upright. Her mind fills in the blanks as her gaze darts to the clock.

1:23.

Her powers have failed her and her reality is rapidly collapsing. But there a chance. And she has already taken it.

Orihime wishes her power to reverse time extended to herself, but cowardice isn't an option. No take-backs.

She heaves a sigh of fearrelief. She'd once watched a grainy, pirated American movie about kidnappings with Tatsuki. They mouthed along to the more iconic lines while laying on the floor of Tatsuki's bedroom.

The sticky peanut butter popcorn made moving her mouth difficult and Tatsuki had laughed until she cried at Orihime's butchered English.

This isn't like the movies. There's no high speed car chase or CIA agents.

Like a sheep for slaughter, she had walked into a trap laid out just for her. Ulqiorra had set the terms and Orihime had no choice but to agree, to hold onto any scrap of mercy or compassion that he was willing to give her. The butcher had set her up for slaughter, before choosing benevolence.

If it can even be called that. She stares at the manacle on her list, masquerading as an opportunity. This is why she's here, instead of sitting in a cell somewhere. She has a...choice to make.

Orihime feels the urge to cry well up within her, but she's survived monsters before. What's a few more?

I can do this! Time's a-ticking, after all.

In a sudden burst of passion, she lunges toward her desk, feeling anxious after her sudden cat-nap, and starts writing.

Thank you for...peters out into messy scribbles. Orihime picks up a new piece of paper.

I'm sorry for, she begins before crossing it out again.

"This is useless! I need to help them, not make them worry about me even more."

Orihime starts a new list, succinctly entitled Chores. After finishing,

Orihime turns off the light in her room and rushes to find some fresh air. Like Cinderella, she is limited by time. Her heart beats out a staccato rhythm and Orihime counts the heartbeats like they're seconds, in rounds of 60.

Time, time, time. It's all about-

She bumps into something - someone.

"Oh! Excuse me, I-"

The boy and his friend share a confused conversation and move on, not acknowledging her. Orihime stares. She's known Gokudera since middle school, when they studied together in Japanese Literature. Now, she's a ghost.

His words run through her head.

Fitting, that I act like a ghost when I feel like one. Maybe he enjoys poetic irony?

Radioactive green eyes flash through her head. She has a choice to make. Someone she has to see one last time.

Orihime wanders, counting her heartbeat.

\\

hime's kidnapping in the arrancar arc hit me like a drum