Authors Note: Sorry this took me so long to get out to you guys. I was going to add more but when I got reading through it I thought this would be a good place to leave it off at. Hopefully next update will be longer. I'm entering the final stretch for this story so it shouldn't last too much longer unless I get super lazy again...which happens frequently sadly. Forgive me! Sorry for the mistakes that are probably littered in this. Review please! Thanks so much!

Chapter 11- Power Returns

Isshin Kurosaki moved swiftly down the hallway once he had composed himself. His daughter had been able to sense the person that had been by their house, which meant they could be traced. Dodging through the kitchen he made way to the fridge where a cold drink of milk waited. Something fishy was going on and the Soul Reaper had to make sure he was the first one to discover what it was. Especially if he wanted to protect his family from the danger that was coming.

"Dad...what's going on?"

The deep boom of the voice belonged to Isshin's son, the very one he wished to protect. "Go back up with Orihime. She shouldn't be left alone..."

"You're hiding something from me again." the son insisted, right foot moving forward so he could be close to the older man. "Don't you know that hiding things from me by now never work? I will find out what is going on even if you don't tell me."

"Ichigo..." the elder man sighed, "...don't do this. You have other things to worry about, one of which is executing the plan to help Orihime. Let me handle this."

Ichigo scoffed, "You? No offense dad but you've been missing your powers for a long time, you've only just got them back and you want me to sit here and let you run off? No, I want to protect everyone just as much as you do. Now let me."

Isshin turned to face the teenager, his eyes went to the stairs and then slowly back to his son, "Karin felt a new presence, and somehow you were not able to feel it. Neither was I, but if she was able to then he can be tracked. I am going to head out and see if I can find anything. I need you to stay here with your sisters and Orihime. They cannot be left to their own devices because if the enemy comes to discover that Karin can sense them...what is to keep them from taking her out?"

The teenager gulped, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple, "You're right, okay but you better be careful old man. The girls can't lose you."

Isshin grinned widely, "And you?"

"I'd rather not have to raise them." Ichigo mumbled, not wanting to admit that he would be upset if he lost his father.

"That would be too much responsibility to leave to you. Have no fear son! I plan on returning and who knows, maybe when I do it will be to rescue you gallantly."

"Yeah, yeah, keep imagining that."

"Oh I shall, I shall." Isshin fell silent, the air between the father and son intensifying.

"You better come back."

The warning was there in Ichigo's voice and Isshin smiled fondly. He had done well raising this son of his, and he knew if something were to happen to him that Ichigo would be more than able to fill the shoes of raising his sisters. "I will."

"Good."

More minutes ticked by and Isshin cleared his throat, "I'm going to be leaving, it'd be best to not tell your sisters what I am doing."

Ichigo nodded, "I wasn't planning on telling them. The more they don't know, the better." The young man watched his father intently and when he finished a glass of milk and put the glass in the sink he spoke again, "Go, there isn't time for you to stay here talking to me. If what you said is true then there is someone else out there that is even more powerful than Aizen. We can't mess with that."

"I may be gone a while." Isshin warned.

"I know, I'll take care of everyone here. There's nothing for you to worry about." Ichigo promised and the two of them jumped when a soprano voice rang through the tense air.

"I'll help watch over them."

Isshin looked up, his eyes locking with the pair of gray eyes. The girl's aubrun hair flowed freely down her shoulders and back, the Soul Reaper garb hugging her frame, making her more alluring to the eyes. "Miss Inoue..."

"Please," the spoken girl stepped forward, her hand outstretched, "I can do this. I know I was once human and therefore weak, but that isn't the case anymore. I can awaken my zanpakuto now...so I'll be able to fight better than before. I can do this."

"Orihime..." Ichigo spoke now, "...I don't know if..." he trailed off when her hand went to his arm, her eyes pleading.

"Ichigo you know you'll need my help. I may not have all my memories back but I have the majority of them. Let's use that to our advantage."

Reluctantly Ichigo agreed, if they were to find out who was after them then this needed to happen. He needed Orihime's help, even though the thought made his blood boil. What if he lost her again? If she were to die this time it would be for good, he'd never see her again.

A hand clamping on his shoulder broke him out of his dark thoughts, "You will protect her this time."

Looking away from his father's intense gaze Ichigo could feel the strength of his words. That was true, this time he wouldn't let her slip through his fingers. This time he would stay by her side and make sure she made it out of this alive. And when this fight was over...he'd give up his powers in order to bring her back to this world. By the end she would be back in the World of the Living. She'd have a family...and it'd be with him.

Kisuke looked up from the book that was in his hands. His eyes registered surprise for only a moment before settling back into their normal nonchalant look. "Well, this is a surprise. It's been a while Miss Inoue."

"Shut it." A harsh voice spat out.

The older man looked over at the orange haired teenager that had spoken, "And of course it's always a pleasure to see you Mr. Kurosaki. What can I do for you two?"

The quiet girl stepped forward, her zanpakuto moving at her side, "I have most of my memories back, and I wanted you to let me and Ichigo practice here."

"Practice?"

"She mean's train." Ichigo snapped. Orihime spun to Ichigo and placed her hand on the boy's cheek. The tender look that passed between them caused for Kisuke to raise an eyebrow. It was becoming noticeable that the two teenagers had feelings for one another. 'Interesting...I wonder how long before everything the young Kurosaki saw becomes a reality.'

"Can we or not?" Ichigo asked again, irritation masking his voice.

"Certainly, although," the older man looked back at the girl, "do you really want to get involved in this fight? Before...you were never one for violence."

Orihime folded her arms, "I don't like to fight...but I will fight. And this is a cause I need to fight for."

The older man continued to stare at Orihime, seeing if she'd react to his intense gaze. When she held it firmly he grinned, "All right, you've convinced me. Go ahead and head down there Ichigo. Although you better go easy on her, she isn't as strong as you are."

"Like you need to warn me of that." Ichigo grunted as he shoved his way past Kisuke and went towards the back of the shop where the entrance to the underground training area was.

Orihime followed close behind Ichigo as he led the way to the training room. She stopped suddenly and turned back to face Kisuke. "Do you know how I can retrieve all my lost memories?"

The man smiled widely, "How did you recover the memories you did?"

The young Soul Reaper spun her head around, checking to make sure Ichigo wasn't in the room. He wasn't, the hatch to the training room was open and he had descended it. Her cheeks were hot, an indication she was blushing madly, as she turned back to face Kisuke, "I-Is that the only way?" Her timid voice asked.

Laughing Kisuke nodded, pulling his hat down lower over his eyes, "I'm afraid so, if you want all your memories than you are going to have to do the exact same thing you did before in order to get them."

"O-oh, then I guess I h-have to do t-that." Orihime stuttered. Bowing her head respectfully she turned and dashed for the hatch, easily falling through it.

"I have to admit," Kisuke said out loud to Tessai that had just entered, "having that be the trigger was one of my smarter moves. Perhaps it will finally get that orange head to admit to the feelings he's had harboring inside of him since the beginning."

Tessai grunted his agreeance, "It was a good move, sir."

"Yes...now we will see what Orihime gets out of her training with our Ichigo. I was not expecting this turn of events but its a good thing. Better to have him train her than Rukia." The shop owner stated thoughtfully as he turned to the front of his shop. "Come Tessai, we have some errands to run."

The shop owner and his subordinates left the shop, leaving Ichigo and Orihime alone to the training that would be taking place within it's structor.

Aizen hissed and threw the object that had been in his hands. Gin didn't even flinch as the object sailed past his ear, smashing into pieces as it struck the wall behind him.

"This can not be happening! They were not supposed to make a move!"

"What can you expect sir? They aren't going to sit on their hands all the time. Obviously they know something we don't and that is why they entered the World of the Living."

Aizen ran a hand through his thick, brown hair, "Yes, but what?! We can't afford to let them move first. They are stronger than us and if they are moving there...it means they know things we don't. They can capture what I don't have and use it against me!"

Gin drummed his long, bony fingers against the wall, "If that's the case...then isn't it logical to assume that Orihime Inoue is no longer in the safety of the Soul Society? If they have made a move and shown their hand...it must be because she is there. And if she is in the World of the Living...there is only one place she would go."

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Aizen snarled, his brown eyes hardening at the thought.

"Yes," Gin lifted his hand so he could observe his nails, "therefore I suggest we make another move, this one much bolder than the ones we've been doing in the shadows. There is no time to waste any longer, we have prepared for this day for a long time. It's time we dove into this fray head first."

Aizen studied his second in command, seizing him up. Gin had always been a shroud one, at times it was hard to anticipate what he was going to do. Which was why Aizen always kept the white haired man close. One could never be too careful with the people they worked with. "I believe you are right Gin. Because of that I want you to be the one that goes to Ichigo Kurosaki's home. I cannot, and will not, allow anyone else to do this. You are the one that can get the information we need and bring it back to me."

A wicked grin spread over the thin man's lips, "I will be back shortly. Will you be able to hold things together while I'm away?"

Aizen rolled his eyes, "You speak your mind much too freely," lifting his hand he waved dismissively, "Now go, there is no time to lose as you've stated rather boldly."

With a bow Gin lowered his head before spinning on his heels and strolled out of the room. His eyes opened to reveal the blue hue to them. It was time to implement his own plan. Aizen no doubt had his suspicions but now was not the time to worry about them. Gin was going to be the one to get his hands on the girl. And then he would personally wipe her from existence. It was the only way to save the one he truly cared about.

Ps...I bet everyone can guess who Gin is referring to?!