This took forever, but here's your IchiHime @MetalOtaku12!! :D

(This hurt my inner IchiRuki shipping heart, but I hope you like it!)

This doesn't really follow the plot of the show/manga at all, just so ya know! I started it off a little during Ichigo's battle with Ulquiorra, then went in my own direction. ^_^

"Ichigo!" I shouted, relief flooding me once his battle with Ulquiorra was finally over.

"Are you alright, Orihime?" He asked, though he was the one covered in injuries.

"I'm fine," I smiled, "let me heal you."

"We have to get out of here first," he told me, taking my hand as he began running.

He came all this way just to rescue me, I thought, tears of happiness filling my eyes. When I visited him in his room all those days ago, I had been sure it would be the last time I saw him. But it wasn't. He came for me.

"Are you ready?" He asked as we approached the Dangai that would take us back to the world of the living. I nodded, holding onto his hand a little tighter. We ran as fast as we could, focusing on reaching the end. I saw the light up ahead, and knew we were almost there. I'm almost home.

We fell as we crossed through, and I felt Ichigo grab ahold if me, pulling me against his side as he landed on his feet. "Thanks," I breathed, blushing when I realized I was still against his side. I pulled away, staring at the familiar city of Karakura Town, glad that I was finally home.

"Let me walk you home," Ichigo said, starting forward.

"Ichigo!" I gasped when he fell to the ground, laying face-down in the grass unconscious. I rolled him over, immediately getting to work on healing him. "You pushed yourself too hard," I sighed. The others should be catching up soon as well, I thought. I hope they're all alright.

"Nn," Ichigo murmured, regaining consciousness. He opened his eyes, and I sighed in relief.

"Lay still," I instructed, knowing he would try to get to his feet before I was finished. He nodded, staring up at the blue sky as I finished healing him. "That will do for now," I said, wiping sweat from my forehead. "I'll bandage you up once we get back to my house."

"Don't worry about it," he told me, standing up. "I can manage. Thanks, Orihime."

"Of course," I smiled, allowing him to help me up. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah."

We walked in silence after that. I glanced over at him frequently, making sure he was still alright, and blushing whenever I saw him doing the same. When we reached my front door, I turned and smiled at him. "Thank you, Ichigo. For everything."

"Always," he grinned. As he turned to leave, I grabbed his hand. Immediately, he turned back to face me, frowning. "Orihime, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Sorry," I mumbled, weakly, "never mind." I turned to face my door, knowing my face was probably scarlet.

"It was you," he said, suddenly, cutting me off.

I faced him again, wondering what he could mean. "What was?"

"The night you disappeared, I felt something." He looked down at his hand-the hand I had held when I had gone to tell him goodbye that night, and the one I had just grabbed to stop him-then looked back up at me. "It was healed that morning, and I could feel your spiritual pressure. Why did you come to me?" He asked.

"I-" I might as well say it. He went through all of that for me, so I should tell him the truth. If he turns me down, then at least I'll know how he feels. Steeling myself, I grabbed his face with both of my hands and stood on my tip toes. It shocked both of us when my lips actually met his. Thankfully, he didn't pull away-or push me away. Instead, he stood there, frozen, until I released him and sank back down to flat feet.

"I love you, Ichigo," I told him, tears filling my eyes. "You're so brave, and you're always looking after everyone. When Ulquiorra came, and I thought I'd never see you again, I knew that it had to be you that I said goodbye to. I wanted to see you. I planned on telling you that night, even though you wouldn't have heard me, but I couldn't bring myself to." The tears had overflown by now, so I wiped at them, embarrassed. "I know you probably think I'm crazy, but it's the truth. I was so happy when you came to rescue me from Hueco Mundo, and I was so worried about you during every fight. Watching you do all of that, just to save me, I knew I had to tell you once we were back home. Even if you don't share my feelings, I-"

"Orihime." At the sound of my name, I forced my babbling to stop. I wiped my face again, meeting his endless brown eyes. Before I had a chance to apologize, his arms were around me and his lips were against mine. It took only a moment before I sank into him, wrapping my arms around his neck as I kissed him back.

After only a few short moments, he pulled away, meeting my eyes. "If you love me so much, don't disappear like that again," he told me, patting me on the head before ruffling my hair a bit.

"I won't," I smiled, wiping at my teary eyes.

He nodded, offering me a grin. "Good. Because if you do, I'll just have to come rescue you again."