The Long Way Home

Part Three

"There's no sign of a struggle."

Rukia stood in the centre of Orihime's home and surveyed the living room.

"Agreed." Renji scowled. "A craven attack then by a coward."

Both Renji and Rukia were in their gegi form, having paid a visit to Urahara's shop. He had heard what had happened and wasn't pleased about it at all. They had left saying they would keep him informed but they hadn't divulged the secret that Ichigo had made it back to the Soul Society. As far as Urahara was concerned, Ichigo was lying unconscious in a hospital bed, as was
Orihime.

"Do you think she'll survive?"

"Yes! Renji! Don't say such things!"

"Rukia, I don't like it any more than you do. But someone attacked Ichigo to kill him. Why attack Orihime if not to kill her too?"

Rukia turned and Renji took a step back from her. "She will survive this ordeal until we have evidence to the contrary." She glared, "Understood?"
Renji grinned at her. "Fire! We will need that in the days to come." He looked around her nice neat little apartment and sighed. "I don't think there is much to be learnt from here."

She nodded, saddened at her friends predicament. "Agreed," she said again. "We better find somewhere to spend the night. It's too late to go to the hospital and I don't sense any Hollows. We may try and rest while
we have the opportunity."

Renji remembered staying at the shop the first time in a gegi in the World of the Living with a shudder. "Do we have to go back to Urahara's place? Those two kids are a pain in the a-"

"Were would you suggest we stay? We have no currency and we can't stay at the Kurosaki's. They have enough to deal with at this moment."

"What about here?"

"Here?"

"Yeah." Renji looked at the place. "We could stay here. We both know she wouldn't mind."

"I don't know..."

"We would be able to stop anyone from trying to rob Orihime's home by staying here. We'd be doing her a favour." Renji wasn't a stupid man, and he caught the scowl that was about to be aimed at him. "She's going to get better. She's coming home. Just like you said. I really don't think she would mind. Plus, I don't think you would allow me to make a mess of her home" He smiled at Rukia.

Rukia surveyed the apartment. "She will be coming back. Ok. We clean this place up and look after it for her while we're here." Renji heard the sadness in her voice. He took a step towards her, acting before he had a chance to think.

Rukia felt an arm go around her and found herself enveloped in a hug. She relaxed in to it and they stayed like that for longer than was necessary, only gently pushing him away before she could get too comfortable. She looked up in to his eyes and saw so many different emotions, although the primary one was panic. She smiled as she reached up and stroked his cheek. "If I had stayed there much longer, I don't know if I would ever want to leave, Renji." She turned away and began to explore the rest of Orihime's home.

For Renji it took several moments for him to grasp exactly what she had said. But when he did, it was hard to keep the smile off his face.

Ichigo opened his eyes.

"Finally. You are awake."

Blinking, Ichigo yawned and looked down towards the bottom of the bed. The mural on the wall now showed a doorway. Steam drifted out.
Ichigo sat up and slid out of bed. "Hey, did you run me a bath?" Ichigo stood, forgetting he was naked. He saw Byakuya scowl at him.