P.S. No, this has nothing to do with the song by the very talented Adele, I just liked the name ;) But props to Adele because her voice is ah-mazing.

*I have no rights to Bleach, and make no money from this, silly head.

Let me know what you think!

WARNINGS: swearing, blood, natural disasters

Set Fire to the Rain

It was raining. Actually, no, it was not raining. Rain came down in a steady flow from the clouds that were normally gray, but still close to white. It was sometimes mildly depressing, but it never reached the level of impending doom. What was unleashing its wrath upon the town of Karakura, therefore, could not be defined as rain.

The clouds were a dark black that had shut out the day of light hours before night should have fallen. The liquid drops felt as if they should be frozen by the sting of icy pain they left when making contact with skin, pounded relentlessly down onto the citizens, warning them to stay inside. The wind blew furiously, as if it had a vendetta against anything still standing. No, this was a raging storm of impending death.

Ichigo Kurosaki, substitute Soul Reaper and high school student of Karakura town, thought it suited the occasion just fine.

He didn't know why, but he had felt the need to visit his mother's grave. His father had called him crazy and ungrateful as he had rushed from the safety of his home, whilst his sister, Yuzu had pleaded with him to stay, and after realizing he wouldn't, begged him to be safe. Karin, Yuzu's twin, had muttered some comment about him being an idiot for making their sister worry and cry.

But he hadn't cared. Ichigo hadn't felt right since he had woken up that morning, and that uncomfortable feeling had progressively gotten more prominent and worrisome throughout the day.

It had started as just a slightly queasy feeling, almost like when one awakes and realizes they had a lot to do that day, like a feeling of worried anticipation. Then the feeling had settled more into his torso, leaving a heavy, curling feeling in the pit of his stomach. It resembled stressful worry as if he were about to do something that he was unsure of. Then his heart had started beating faster than normal, making each abnormal beat known as it pounded in his chest; filling his ears with the rhythm. Shortly afterwards, his throat and mouth became dry and he found it had to swallow. This coupled with a feeling of anxiety left him pacing his room until the thought to go to the cemetery drifted through his mind.

As he sat there now, looking down on the engraved name of his mother, the storm was proving it could come down harder and harder, drenching his clothes and forcing his wet hair down into face. The wind sent chills to the very core of his bones causing his body to erupt into shivers.

But now that he was here, that upset feeling that had been plaguing him all day failed to alleviate. Instead it became more aggravated, as if he hadn't done his body had wanted him to. Deciding that being here would only result in him catching his death, he rose from his crouched position and briskly made his way back home.

Just as Ichigo entered his door, thankfully without his father attacking him, the wind picked up to deafening speeds, sounding a lot like how he imagined the end of the world would be.

He found his father and sisters huddled on the couch, staring at the television, Yuzu having faint tear tracks down her face.

"Ichi-nii! I'm so thankful you're okay!" she exclaimed upon seeing her soaking brother watching them. His response was a nod in her direction, and the slight softening of his scowling expression to convey his gratitude, and alleviate her worries. He really did need to refrain from worrying her so much.

"It's a good thing you got home, the news is saying this is reaching hurricane status," his father said, his eyes glued onto the television. His father normally took on his more serious persona when things like this happened, dreading the probable patients he would have to rush to save when Mother Nature decided to attack.

Winter storms like these always scared the public and made them do stupid things which resulted in injuries that brought them into the Kurosaki clinic, and forced Isshin Kurosaki to work long hours to save lives.

"Is it as bad as it sounds out there?" Karin asked her brother.

"Worse," the orange-haired teen replied. He moved to make his way upstairs, in hopes of shedding his artic-like, dripping clothes and climbing into a nice, hot shower.

Just as his foot was grazing the first step, Ichigo's heart skipped a beat in a wave pure terror that washed down his body and froze him in mid-motion, leaving Ichigo to have to gasp for a breath. Just as his mind was starting to calculate what had triggered such a strong reaction, the blaring sound of the phone sounded, shocking the family to jump in their seats.

Since Ichigo was closest, he went over and answered, just as a loud roll of thunder and a crack of lightning sounded outside.

"Hurry up on the phone, son," Ishhin sounded from the other room, not wanting to treat his son from being electrocuted.

"Oi, I know, old man," the orange-haired teen grumbled as he picked up the blaring object, his panic attack momentarily forgotten.

"Kurosaki clinic," Ichigo said, expecting it to be someone asking if they were open. Ichigo hoped the call would be quick since he missed having feeling in his extremities.

"Ichigo! I need you to-" a panicked voice sounded over the line.

"Tatsuki?" Ichigo straightened in confusion at why his classmate and friend would be calling him during a storm.

"Yes, you moron! Listen! It's an emergency," Tatsuki said, her voice laced with a fear that was uncommon for Japan's second strongest girl.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, the sense of dread reaching a new high.

"I was talking to Orihime, she's scared of storms, you know, because she's all alone and there was a crash and the line went dead-" At the mention of one of his most coveted nakama, Ichigo went into fight-mode.

"I'm going to check on her," he responded, cutting his long-time friend off and hanging up.

He felt as if he would vomit as he rushed upstairs to drop his body off in his room. Tatsuki was always worrying about their gentle friend, but Ichigo couldn't agree that it was a smart thing to do.

Orihime Inoue was too good for her own wellbeing. He'd had to refrain several times from wanting to throttle the healer when he would overhear her telling Tatsuki about how she would go out late at night to the store to buy red bean paste, or how she sometimes baked treats for the homeless people she passed on the way to work. She never first thought of herself, only for others.

So Ichigo felt he needed to be overly cautious with her. She was his friend, and he had promised to protect her. He needed to protect her. He was conscious of the fact he only felt this urge with her, but that was because of all his friends, that instinct seemed the most logical. He never had to worry Chad or Ishida would be sexually assaulted or ogled by hormone-driven douchebags, and even if his male friends were attacked, they had plenty of strength and sense to fight. They would hurt if they had to in mind of survival. He knew Orihime would never do that. She was too pacifistic and too conscious of not wanting to hurt others. Her mind just didn't operate like a fighter, probably because her power was mainly for healing. And as for his other female friends, they were overly conscious about the dangers of the world, not that they had to worry really. Tatsuki was the second strongest girl in Japan, leaving Ichigo to pity the poor soul who thought to try and best her. And Rukia was a Soul Reaper for Kami's sake. He knew from personal experience she would never hesitate to hurt someone who pissed her off.

But Orihime's desire to heal and help others is what made her special in Ichigo's eyes. He was sure he didn't have the strength to smile like she did every day. He knew the horrors she had been subjected to, or most of them anyway, and yet she seemed as untouched by evil as one could get. Of course she was beautiful. Not even he could deny that, but he didn't see that as a free pass for anyone to ogle her or desire her the way most of his classmates did. She deserved better than any of them anyway.

Ichigo saw his protectiveness over Orihime as his way of caring about his friend, the same way he fought with Ishida, whom he would never verbally admit to being friends with, or the way he silently fought alongside Chad.

He didn't see it as weird, most of his friends were slightly more protective of the healer.

As Ichigo reached his room he slammed his combat pass to his chest, dropping his body on the floor of his bedroom. At least it was out of the rain.

In Soul Reaper form, he rushed through his window and flash stepped as fast as he could to Inoue's apartment, fear clutching at his heart.

Way to go Kingy, the Queen's all by herself in a freakin' hurricane and you're too dense to think about checking on her!

Shut up damn it! And stop calling Inoue that!

Do you not think she deserves to be labeled as such, King?

I don't know what you're talking about! Leave me alone!

Tch!

As Ichigo came upon her apartment, however, his heart stopped and even his hollow fell silent.

The storm was still on its rampage, but it had caused much more damage in this part of town.

The trees and telephone lines had all fallen and several had assaulted Orihime's apartment building; the biggest had landed directly in Orihime's doorway.

Ichigo cursed and rushed what used to be her doorway, forcing his way into the thicker branches while yelling out her name.

Everything was dark, save for the occasional blast of lightning that split the sky, as the hurricane continued to pour down. Ichigo's subconscious noted that the temperature felt a hell of a lot colder than earlier.

As he crouched below the angled branches blocking his path inside, he felt them cut across his face leaving lines of blood in their wake. But he didn't care, he whipped Zangetsu around his body from his back and hacked at the branches to create a path. His eyes scanned for auburn, but all he could see was black.

He called out her name, but the only sounds his ears registered was the beating of his heart and the rain pinging off whatever walls or objects the deafening wind flung it into.

His body was frozen, the icy pain settling into his bones, but fear-fueled adrenaline kept him going.

Ichigo managed to make his way into her apartment, to which he discovered was just as bad as the doorway. After a few more swipes of his trusty blade, he had cleared enough of the flimsy branches with too many leaves to see the living room in the front of the apartment.

Even though most of the roof had caved in, Ichigo could see and move more freely the farther he got into Inoue's home.

Shit, King, find the Queen!

I know! I can't sense her damn it!

Ichigo rushed past the couch in search of her bedroom, noting the piece of furniture had an eerie paleness to it in the darkened room, and dark stains streaked down it.

He moved by the kitchen entryway and sent a cursory glance through, but saw nothing that said Orihime was there. A search of the hallway closet and bathroom found no results other. Ichigo was quickly entering panic mode and was positive he was going to die from heart failure.

He burst through her bedroom door and found no sign of the gentle healer.

He rushed back into the living room, only to hear a crunch sound under his feet. He looked down to see the face of Sora Inoue smiling up at him. The shattered glass had a spider-web effect over Orihime's late brother's picture. Ichigo's heart clenched as the color on the photo began to blur as moisture came into contact with the picture.

Ichigo found himself now frantically running around the healer's home. He couldn't sense her warm spiritual pressure which was normally so easy to locate, even for someone like him. Dread and fear were taking over and Ichigo was starting to crack. He did not like situations like these. He preferred things more black and white. He wanted physical things he could pound into which were easily identifiable as a problem.

No! I can't lose her again. Inoue, I'm coming, just stay safe.

Ichigo tried calling her name again for the hundredth time, to find his voice swallowed up by the wind and his throat burning with overuse.

When he happened to glance back towards the doorway, his heart dropped to his feet like lead.

From his point of view, he could see the couch which was supporting the topmost branches of the tree. He had thought the dark streaks were dirt from the tree and rain, but now he saw his vital mistake.

The dark streaks were not dirt from the tree, no, they were more rust-like in color, and lying on the floor in front of the couch, face down, was a figure with auburn hair.

Good job, King, you only passed by her a thousand freakin' times ya stupid pansy ass!

Ichigo ignored his annoying and unhelpful inner voice and rushed to the fallen girl's side, where she had almost been obscured by the tree's tallest branches which had hung over the couch.

He looked her over and hesitated to move her. Dark blood was flowing from a large wound on her head. Ichigo felt the urge to vomit as he inspected the wound and found it to resemble someone who had gotten their head bashed in.

Looking at the streaks on the couch, it appeared that she had been on the couch and had rolled onto the floor which meant she had already been moved. Cursing everything he could think of Ichigo disregarded caution and decided to roll her over anyway. He needed to move her to get her out and to help anyway.

There were scratches on her arms and legs and her clothes were torn, but what really shot through to Ichigo's core was the fact that her face was covered in blood. By being face down, her head wound, which would have bled more profusely anyway, had all drained onto her face making her look a gory mess.

Her skin was ice cold and pale and Ichigo and his hollow both despaired at the notion that she looked…dead.

No! She won't die. She can't!

Damn straight, Kingy. Now move your ass!

Ichigo effortlessly picked her body up, and cursed the blush that rose up his face as he noted she clad in her pajamas which consisted of shorts and a thin matching t-shirt.

Her head started to loll back, so Ichigo took note to cradle it, not wanting to harm her any farther.

Ichigo tried to keep a clear head of what he was doing as the frigidness of her body transferred onto his and the only warmth that came from her was the blood now running down his hand.

As Ichigo flash stepped towards his home, his mind and hollow berated him with his failures.

Damn you King, the Queen had better live on. Or I swear I'm taking over and beating your ass to high hell.

I failed her. I failed to protect her again. I broke my promise to her again. Why can't I ever do right by her? Ever since before Hueco Mundo I've failed her. Damn it!

Please be okay, Inoue. I'll do better next time, I promise.

Ya King, you're promises have worked so well in the past, haven't they?

Shut up! She's going to wake up and I'm gonna make it up to her!

As Ichigo burst through the door, he yelled for his father, knowing Isshin would hear him but his sisters would not.

Isshin's eyes widened in immediate shock, as he came hurrying down the stairs. He registered that the girl had a head wound by the way blood was running down Ichigo's arm. He spurred into doctor mode, fearful that he would be forced to see another Inoue die.

"Bring her inside," he stated in his no-nonsense, doctor voice.

As Ichigo rushed inside the open clinic room, he laid the fallen angel onto the bed and was brushed aside by his father as he worked to check her vitals.

"What do you know?" Isshin asked, trying to prioritize the gentle girl's injuries.

"Tatsuki called and said Inoue was scared and on the phone with her when there was a crash and the line went dead. A tree had fallen through her apartment and it looks like it hit her. She was on the floor in a puddle when I found her."

Isshin only hummed in response, calculating in his head possible injuries she may have received. Ichigo cringed as he saw his father begin to cut away her shirt.

"Get the hospital gown from the closet." Ichigo moved quickly, blushing at knowing Inoue was feet away from him with a cut away top.

Way to focus on the important things, Kingy.

Go to hell, pervert.

I wasn't the one thinking of the Queen topless.

Ichigo was desperately trying to remain calm and patient but glancing at his friend, all he could see around his father was the auburn hair matted with blood and leaves. It did nothing to ease his worries. "How is she?"

"Go get the heated blankets form upstairs," was the only response he got. Ichigo immediately fumed at having his question ignored and opened his mouth to demand a proper response.

"Now, Ichigo!" His father commanded.

Ichigo recalled how frozen her skin appeared and rushed to get the blankets.

He was only gone a few minutes, but when he returned, his father was on the phone talking in a hushed but furious manner.

Isshin turned, still on the phone, when he sensed his son's presence and yanked the blankets from Ichigo's grip.

With the quick but precise movements his father was making, and the seriousness with which he did it, Ichigo knew the situation was bad.

Ichigo kept back, afraid to get in the way, and unsure of himself in a setting where the opponent was not a physical manifestation he could kill or beat with force.

He pondered for a moment if he should call their friends, but the thought was quickly shot when the thunderous storm made its existence known once again.

He sat outside the clinic door, back against the wall, listening to his father finishing the call. After what seemed like forever, Isshin emerged from the room.

"We're taking her to see Ryuuken Ishida."

Ichigo bristled at the name, "Why? What the hell is he going to do that you can't?"

"Ichigo, Orihime's in a coma and I don't have the equipment to deal with that. If something should seriously go wrong," he hesitated, "I'd lose her. I run a clinic, not a hospital. And Ishida's not supposed to be working tonight, I'm calling in a favor."

"Is she going to be ok?" Ichigo asked around a lump that had formed in his throat.

"I don't know son."

It was amazing the things that people could finagle when they were in a position of power. As soon as the ambulance arrived at Ishida's hospital, the renowned doctor was there to rush the healer into surgery, and checking for internal bleeding.

Ichigo sat with his father outside the operating room. It was agonizing watching people rushing to and from the room. Those who left always had blood or sweat covering them.

Hushed whispers told them this was one of the worst injuries they had seen in a while. Their faces all mixed into one androgynous person personifying grief.

Ichigo's impatience made him pace back and forth countless times. Why the hell couldn't anyone tell him anything? What was taking so long? Six freaking hours and they weren't done?

Had he been too late? He had gotten to her place as fast as he could after he had gotten the call.

But it took you a damn decade to find her, dumbass.

Go to hell. But Ichigo's insult didn't have a fraction of the emotion it normally had behind it. Ichigo was losing hope.

"How is she?"

Ichigo turned at the arrival of Uryuu. It was now just before daybreak, and the storm had started to settle down.

"We are unsure. We haven't heard anything, since your father took her in." Isshin was the one to respond. Ichigo could only look at Ishida, his face devoid of his scowl, but a mix between anger, confusion, and fear.

"I'm going to get some coffee, do you boys want anything?" Isshin asked after the trio had sat in a few awkward moments of silence.

Ichigo shook his head while Ishida responded with a polite "no, thank you."

"How did you know?" Ichigo asked, collapsing against the wall and sliding to sit on the cold, tiled floor.

"I awoke to find a note next to my bed saying he was being called in for one of my friends. I could sense all of you except her, so I came over." Ishida's voice didn't hold any of its usual contempt, a sign of his worry.

At that moment a tall man with broad shoulders rounded the corner making his way towards the doors containing Inoue. He was clad in scrubs and the sterile smell that surrounded all doctors before surgery wafted in the air once he walked by.

"This is bad," Ishida said.

Ichigo tensed and whipped his head towards the last Quincy, "Why? How do you know?"

"That was an old colleague of my father's. He's a specialized neurosurgeon. He's known to be one of the best," Ishida said, adjusting his glasses.

"That's good right? If she has the best?"

"But if my father called in a favor from him, then Inoue is far worse than we thought. This is not good, Kurosaki."

"Damn it. I can't just sit here. She has to be alright. She's Inoue right? She'll be fine. She can't, not be ok. She just can't."

Ichigo knew his inner world was starting to resemble the weather Karakura had just faced.

Please be ok, Inoue. I promise I will never let anything happen to you again.

Ichigo could see Orihime's apartment. He could see her silently crying as the weather raged outside. Her power was out and she sat curled on the couch, jumping every time a tree fell outside or thunder and lightning cracked the sky.

"Oh Onii-chan, I wish you were here. It's probably so silly of me, being scared at a storm, but I do not like being alone. It is times like these when I feel the loneliest."

Ichigo's heart sank as he saw her, obviously terrified and lonely. Even though she had a blanket wrapped around her, she still shivered, probably from the heater no longer working.

"I should have been there. I never even think about her being alone all the time. She shouldn't be alone at a time like this," Ichigo thought.

How could he have been so careless? Orihime always thought of other people, and he couldn't even take the time to consider her being all alone during a hurricane. He was the worst friend ever.

He looked down to see Orihime on the phone with Tatsuki. That's when he saw he tree break from its roots and slam into the apartment.

He saw her body roll to the ground, horrified to find her partially conscious and moaning in pain.

"H-help me, please, s-someone, help…."

Ichigo clenched his eyes shut at her quiet, pleading voice. Oh Kami, how long had she had to lay there in pain?

How long did she have to lay bleeding and broken and lonely?

A hand on his wrist forced his eyes open. Orihime stood in front of him. Her eyes held none of their normal gleam or shine. They were dull and lifeless. Her face was dripping with the blood that ran down from her wound. Her icy skin sent shivers down Ichigo's spine.

"Why, Kurosaki-kun, why weren't you there for me? You promised! You promised!

YOU PROMISED!"

Ichigo jerked awake, banging his head against the wall. His body was sore from having slept against a wall.

Ichigo looked and noticed Ishida staring at the door where Orihime lay. Isshin sat slumped in a chair, his head nodding as sleep fought to overtake him.

….…..A month later….

The news had been worse than Ichigo had expected. The specialist had been called in because there had been significant brain damage caused by blunt force trauma and lack of oxygen. Orihime had been drowning in her own blood, which led to her brain not receiving enough oxygen which led to her body beginning to shut down when her brain cells started dying. As she had gone into surgery, her brain swelled and she had flat lined.

As Ichigo heard Uryuu's father recounting the several hours they battled to keep Orihime alive, he had to refrain from running Zangetsu through the man. Everything was said in such a cold a callous manner, like Orihime wasn't an actual person.

By some grace of the Kami, Ichigo had refrained, although it was probably mostly due to his father's hand locked onto his shoulder.

To conclude his speech, Ishida had stated that Orihime was in a coma, and probably would be until the swelling in her brain subsided. They at least had her breathing on her own once again.

Afterwards, Ichigo had found himself feeling absolutely devastated. His dream had really opened his eyes and shaken him to his core.

In the last month, Ichigo found himself sitting by her bed every moment possible. He only left to go to school when it reopened, and made sure to take thorough notes so that he could give them to Orihime when she woke. He would leave when he got kicked out after visiting hours. He never left on time, and would wait for one of the nurses to realize he was still there before he left.

He came to live off the sound of the beeping heart monitor. It reassured him her heart was beating.

When he was alone with her, he would talk to her. The doctors had said that might help her ease out of the coma.

There was never a time when someone else visited her when he was not present.

Tatsuki visited her for a few hours when she could. Her home had been partially damaged and she had karate practice every day now, and she had to teach classes on the weekends.

Ishida would come by to see if there was any news, sometimes he would sit on the other side of her bed and watch her.

Once he came and set a stuffed animal on her bed next to her. At Ichigo's raised brow he explained, with the faintest hints of a blush, that Orihime had asked him to repair it, for it was one of her favorites, and she had accidently torn its side.

Ichigo couldn't even find it in him to rag Ishida. Maybe having her stuffed companion by her side would coax her out of her enduring slumber. He could see it now; her eyes would burst open in glee as she would sit up and clutch the stuffed-whatever that thing was- and graciously thank Ishida for fixing it. She would cradle it to her chest and make some remark about how she wouldn't let those little blue men rip his side again.

Ichigo was almost positive he would have cried had that happened. Man or not, Ichigo felt like tears of relief, joy, and months of frustration and worry would overpower his manliness and he would cry.

Ichigo found he worried for Orihime more than ever, which was ironic since he knew where she was every moment of every day. It was even more ironic that he was with her, staring at her most of those moments. He knew every progression she had, every battle she overcame on her journey back to the world of the living, back to him. Like 27 hours after she had been admitted to the hospital, and her surgeries had been as successful as possible, her skin started to regain some color. Her body temperature had warmed. Ichigo could hold her hand and feel the warmth, where previously, he had had to hold her hands and rub warmth into them, which he had done when he was with her and alone.

Ichigo also discovered he could find immense appreciation for very miniscule things that most people took no notice of. Like ten days after admission, when the swelling in her brain started to decrease, or seven days after that when the monitors told them that her brain activity was picking up.

Ichigo also took appreciation of Orihime Inoue. The girl he thought he knew, but the more he replayed his memories of her, the more he noticed and learned about her. He realized her beauty. Obviously he had been aware that she was beautiful before, because even he wasn't that dense. But he took in every reason why she was so out-of-this-world beautiful. Starting with her hair, that was thought of as auburn, but really it had every color combination between red and orange possible, like a flame, but not the destructive flame of forest fires, but like a flickering little flame on a candlestick, that brought forth light and warmth. Or, like the beauty of a graceful phoenix, just as fantasy-like as she seemed to him. And her smile, that amazing, bright smile that continued to glow, even though the owner had been through so much hurt. That smile, each time it flickered through his memories, warmed his heart. He craved that smile. That smile symbolized everything. Sunlight, warmth, joy, and most of all, it meant she had returned to him. He found that smile brought him ease, as it always had after a long day or a particularly gruesome battle. He hadn't realized it before, but she had been there, with that smile, and she had helped him like none of his other friends could. He wanted that smile back; he felt he had some claim to it. It really was a special smile, for he had seen no one else compare to it, genuine or not.

And her eyes, those sparkling, amazing gray eyes-no, not gray, silver eyes. If the person who created medals had seen her eyes, they would have made silver the first place prize, not gold. How could anyone say that gold was better than the silver in her eyes? They were so genuine and so telling. And Ichigo realized they were always focused on him; watching his reactions, cheering him on in battle, overlooking his body for any sign of injury, relieved when they noticed him near. Her eyes had the ability to smile.

Ichigo found he had many, but not enough, memories of the enchanting girl, which he now coveted as some of his most precious next to those of his mother.

They were so alike, his mother and Orihime. They were not only similar physically, but internally as well. Both always cared about him. Neither ever laughed at him or made fun of his failures. They were completely and totally in support of him. He found he cherished them both, in a way different than anyone else but extremely similar to the other…

…which also made him realize just how devastating losing her would be.

No, damn it, I won't lose her too…I can't.

But Ichigo began to ponder all the different ways you could lose someone. He had already lost Orihime once when she was kidnapped to Hueco Mundo. His only solace was knowing that she had been there to see him before as evidenced by his healed wrist and her lingering spiritual pressure. Then when he had gotten her back, and that damned Stark had snatched her away again. Then there was that time Yammy had hurt her, and he'd had that panicked feeling he might lose her then as well. And now she was lost in a coma, where he couldn't just go in and rescue her from, and from which she might never wake up. And even if she did, they would soon be graduating from high school, and who knew where she would go afterwards? What if she moved away? Or what if she woke up and didn't remember anything? What if she didn't remember him?

NO! That was unacceptable.

Because even if she didn't remember him, or wanted to move away, she still had powers and spiritual pressure and people could target her and she could get hurt, and he would lose his life before he allowed that to happen.

Whether she liked it or not, Orihime Inoue was going to see Ichigo a whole lot more than she had before, and he didn't care how he had to do it.

If she accepted him, he would be by her side, if she decided she didn't like seeing his scowling face that much, he'd watch her from afar, always lurking in the shadows making sure she lived a good life.

Now she just had to wake up.

"Ichigo," his father called softly from the doorway. In lieu of Orihime not having any relatives close by, Isshin had been given medical power of attorney over Orihime's affairs.

Ichigo glanced at his father, not releasing Orihime's hand, which was cradled between both of his.

"I went by her apartment today. The landlord said he doesn't have the money to repair the building, so all the tenants are being forced to find another home. The damage is too much, especially in her apartment."

"They can't do that!" Ichigo yelled, dropping Orihime's hand to stand and face his father, "Where the hell is she supposed to go?"

"I don't know son, but she's going to lose everything."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo hissed. How much more torment must she be put through?

"The landlord is going to have the property demolished this weekend. It's a safety hazard. She'll lose everything."

"No, she won't. I'll go in there and get everything that wasn't destroyed by the water and keep it until she's better."

"And where are you going to put it?"

"If I have to, I'll keep it in my room." Ichigo was not going to let everything Orihime held dear be thrown away like garbage.

"You can't do that. And besides, she's going to need someplace to stay when she wakes up."

"Can't we give her one of the clinic room?"

"You want Orihime-chan to live with us?" Isshin was quickly losing his serious façade and quickly regressing back to his crazy, normal-for-him, self.

"We have enough clinic rooms, right? We can't leave her on the street. I made a promise to her and I'm going to keep it," Ichigo declared.

"Oh, Masaki! Our boy has finally confirmed his heterosexuality! And for the wonderful Orihime-chan! It's a miracle!"

"Oi, shut up, old man! And of course I'm not gay! Where the hell did you get that from?"

…..Two weeks later …

The move had been relatively easy. Uryuu, Chad, and Tatsuki had helped Ichigo go through her apartment and pack up what was salvageable. Everything had been moved into the back clinic room, in an attempt to give her some privacy. Ichigo had only had to deal with some haggling from Ishida, and a few too many growls from Tatsuki daring Ichigo to try any "funny business."

The hardest part had been Ichigo finding her beloved hairpins. They had been speckled with blood and on the floor near where he had found her, which was still blood and water stained.

Everything was ready, awaiting the awakening of the princess.

…..Three days later…..

"When she wakes up, you should tell her," Tatsuki said, as she came for one of her normal visits, of course she hadn't beaten Ichigo there, but she almost didn't mind.

If Orihime had always been too scared to confess to Ichigo, maybe she could get Ichigo to confess to Orihime.

"Tell her what?"

"That you love her." That caught Ichigo's attention, and instantly spurred a blush that reached to the tips of his ears.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo grumbled, wishing he could go back to being alone with his princess.

Oh shit. His princess?

I believe the correct term would be Queen, Kingy.

Shut up you damn pervert! And how many times do I have to tell you? STOP CALLING HER THAT!

Whatever, Kingy.

"Come on, Ichigo. You barely leave her side, you've been miserable since it happened. Kami, you freakin' moved her stuff in with you!"

"She wasn't going to have a home anymore, Tatsuki! Of course I had to help her! And why wouldn't I be upset? She could never wake up! That's kind of a big deal!"

"You let her have her own room, at your house."

"Of course, what the hell else was I supposed to do?"

"Didn't Rukia stay with you before?"

"Yes, but what does Rukia have to do with this?" Ichigo's anger was rising.

"Well why didn't you just let her stay where Rukia stayed?"

Ichigo exploded. "I wasn't going to shove Inoue into a closet! Are you fuckin' crazy? She doesn't deserve that! It's Inoue, for Kami's sake!"

"Exactly! You treat her differently! Admit it you damn baka! You like her!"

"Of course I like her! Who wouldn't?" Ichigo yelled.

Oh shit, shit, shit, shit. What the hell did I just say?

Told you so.

"Well make sure to tell her that, you'd probably make her world," Tatsuki said. She knew Orihime would probably die of embarrassment when, or if, she found out, but Tatsuki didn't care. It was going to make her best friend happy, and that was all that mattered, even if that happiness came from an orange strawberry.

"Why?" Ichigo's head hurt, he was confused, and now what the hell was she talking about?

"She likes you, you baka! She has since the day she met you. I don't know what she sees but all I know is, if you hurt her I will break your face and rip out all your hair chunk by weird-colored chunk."

"Tch, as if I'd ever hurt her."

I'd rather die. Wait, oh shit. I think I like Inoue.

Heart pounding, mind racing, "How do you know?"

"Because I'm her best friend, dummy; she tells me everything. And why else would she have visited you before she was taken to that place?" Tatsuki didn't know everything, but she knew enough, and she had been the only one to ask Orihime about what happened, mainly because she had wanted answers.

"She told you about that? Who else did she visit?" Ichigo realized he never asked her about Hueco Mundo. He had assumed she'd seen him to heal him, and then been kidnapped, but by the way Tatsuki said it, that wasn't the case.

Baka!

I will come in there and rip out your throat.

"No one, baka. That dude only let her visit one person before he took her away. She chose you. Think about it, Ichigo." With that, Tatsuki left.

Do I like Inoue…like that?

Looking through everything that had transpired over the last month and a half, he found that yes, his thoughts and actions went far beyond that of friendship.

But what if Tatsuki had been wrong?

Ichigo was trying to think, but something kept twitching in his hands, looking down, Ichigo paled as he realized Orihime's fingers were twitching, faint little movements that caused her fingers to squeeze his much larger ones.

Damn her hands are soft.

I bet a lot more of her is soft.

The immense elation coursing through his body caused Ichigo to completely ignore his hollow.

He was too focused on her face, watching as her brow wrinkled and her lids finally unveiled those gray orbs.

She blinked as she looked around, her eyes darting to her encompassed hand, then up to meet Ichigo's chocolate gaze, completely focused on her reactions.

Orihime opened her mouth, found it very dry, and closed it again to swallow, then opened it again.

"K-Kurosaki-kun?"

After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, Ichigo decided her voice was the best sound he had ever heard; especially when the first thing she said was a confirmation that she knew him.

And how did the protector show his gratitude? He did what his instincts told him to do.

He leaned forward, his hands still clinging to hers, and pressed his lips to hers.

Her eyes widened and the heart monitor jumped as Orihime registered that Ichigo Kurosaki was kissing her.

He jumped back at the sound of the machine, to stare into her eyes.

I really do like those eyes.

"I'm sorry, Inoue, but, I-I've," shit, all this time she was sleeping and you would think he would have had something better to say without stuttering, "I missed you Inoue. I'm really glad you're awake."

"But you were with me-I heard you, Kurosaki-kun." And then Orihime smiled that smile.

"W-what?"

"Kurosaki-kun's voice was in my dreams. You kept me wanting to come back through the darkness."

"Inoue, I know you just woke up and all, but, I've been waiting a long time to tell you that…I'm not ever leaving your side again, ever."

"W-what?" Orihime was confused. Did she wake up in another world? Or was she still sleeping? The little blue men were really messing with her, darn it!

"I'm sorry I never realized it before, and you know I'm not good at this stuff, but, you shouldn't be alone and since I promised I would always protect you, I'm going to make sure you're not alone…ever." Ichigo smiled inwardly. He didn't think he ever could have said that, but it felt so right as the words came from his mouth. He found he wasn't afraid that Orihime would laugh at him, because he knew she never would, but she was giving him a really weird look.

"What is it, Inoue? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?"

Her eyes filled up with tears and Ichigo went into panic mode.

Damn it, Tatsuki, you were wrong. Of course she wouldn't want me around.

"I-I don't want to wake up," Orihime sniffled.

Wow, King, she'd rather be in a coma than be with you. Way to go…

"I-I'm sorry, Inoue! D-Don't cry! I didn't mean to make you upset! I-"

"This is the most wonderful dream in the world!" Orihime cried.

What did she just say?

"What did you just say?" Orihime smiled up at him with tears running down her face.

"My wish came true. Kurosaki-kun kissed me and said such wonderful things and I don't want to wake up and leave this wonderful dream…"

"Inoue, you're not dreaming. You were in a coma, but now, thank the Kami, you're awake. And I really did say I would always be by your side be-because…I love you."

"I love you too, Kurosaki-kun, for five lifetimes I will only love you."

Five lifetimes, huh? Why does that sound familiar?

And for five lifetimes, the princess and her protector loved only one person.

Wow, this went way farther than I thought! I hope the ending didn't feel too rushed. My main goal was to show what it might take for someone as dense as Ichigo to realize his love for Orihime.

Please let me know what you think!