A/N: Since you've all asked so nicely... :-))) Here it is. (A little short, because it's only half of the originally intended chapter.)

Thanks for all your kind messages! I can't believe this story already made it to 25 reviews! Keep it coming guys! I love you all!

Chapter 4

Lone journey

The conversation between Orihime and Kon went like this:

As soon as Orihime threw herself into the kiss she knew something was wrong... and a moment later she already realized her mistake... This was not Ichigo! She pushed herself away from him angrily, her cheeks flashing scarlet out of embarrassment. On top of all her previous nervousness this was the worst thing that could have happened to her!

'Kon!' she blurted out indignantly. 'What are you doing here? Where's Ichigo? And why didn't you stop me? Oh, this is humiliating!'

'Sorry! Ichigo met some trouble this morning, so he sent me along to keep his body safe... I don't know where he is, he should have already been back ages ago... And about the kiss, I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist... I knew I shouldn't, and you'd be angry...' he said with remorse showing on his features, but then a grin split across his face. 'But it was totally worth it!'

Whammm! Orihime slapped him in the face with the full force she could muster. Her strained nerves could handle the situation no better at the moment... As she turned her back on Kon, she already knew what she needed to do... she would go and find Ichigo herself. If he was not here by now that must mean he was in some kind of serious trouble, most likely alone... maybe he needed her...

…...

/That morning/

Ichigo went down the quiet streets of Karakura with his hands deep in his pockets. He stifled a yawn, and looked up to the rising early morning sun on the sky with a small smile. He was walking leisurely, there was no need to hurry, and in any case, he needed this time to collect his thoughts. His heart was peaceful and happy. He looked ahead, where the small hill was located, which was his destination.

Karakura cemetery looked peaceful and abandoned today. It was even possible that he would be the only visitor this early in the morning. He hoped it would be like that.

Today was an important day in his life... and he felt he needed to pay this visit to the most important person in his life, before he could move on... The thing was, he was never one to go to cemeteries (except for every June 17th), or pray to ancestors. Orihime prayed before his brother's portrait every single evening... since they were now living together, he saw and even heard it frequently. Orihime would often invite him to join her, which he did, out of desire to admire her easy way of speaking to... no, even conversing with someone that deceased long ago.

He was sure he wouldn't be able to do stuff like that, but he still wanted to try. If you looked at it closely, it was rather ironic: he spoke with dead people all the time, and half of his friends were also dead. Even the enemies he fought were dead. So why was it this damn difficult for him to address the one he carved to be connected with most?

He remembered one particular conversation, when he had asked Orihime about this...

'You make this look so easy... I almost feel like he's answering to you, only I can't hear it...' he had said, pointing to Sora's picture with a scowl.

She had giggled. 'Oh, he always answers... I'm sure about that. But it's not every time I can hear it...sometimes it's more difficult... when I'm sad, or troubled... sometimes even when I'm too happy, and can't concentrate...' Her expression had become pensive and serious. 'And it's the hardest when I'm feeling guilty or ashamed...'

Ichigo started to climb the little hill. It was surprisingly easy, without his father's constant distractions... Memories started to invade him, as always when he came here. Happy, heartwarming, sunny memories, and bitter, dark, rainy ones too...

He reached the gate of the cemetery, and went through it. Now he was walking amongst tombstones. It dawned on him that this cemetery was large, and he had never before came here alone. In theory, he knew where to go, but will he really find the place all right? All these white marble tombstones looked pretty much the same to him... For one horrible moment he thought he would never find it. But just when he thought this, he saw the white tombstone, with silver letters he'd been searching for.

"Masaki Kurosaki"

He felt relief first. Then some mounting anxiety, similar to the one a young boy would feel before his first date. He went to stand before the tombstone, facing the letters of that sweet name.

'Uh... erm... Hi, Mom!' he said awkwardly, then thought to himself. 'Oh, boy... this sucks! I can't do it after all... not like Orihime.' He sighed big, and sat down on the ground, legs crossed, bowing his head. 'Well... maybe I don't need to do it like her... I'll just do it my way... I bet it doesn't matter if I'm comfortable enough to speak aloud or not... I bet you wouldn't mind either way...' he lifted his head to the tombstone again, wearing a smile. 'And Orihime was right... I just realized I haven't been able to speak with you before, because I've been feeling guilty and ashamed. I'm sorry for that... I will always feel guilty for what happened that day, but maybe I don't feel that ashamed any more... that's also thanks to Orihime. She was the one to tell me, that your sacrifice that day hasn't only saved me: it saved a bunch of people, really... Yuzu, Karin, Chad, Uryu, Rukia, Orihime... and possibly whole Karakura town and Soul Society too. And maybe if we meet again some day, face to face, I could tell you that this life you trusted me with was not wasted... Orihime is so wise you see... she can always tell if something's bothering me... and sometimes she can even tell better what it is, than me. She can make me feel better... I feel that just like you had, she makes me a better person. And she also makes me happy. I thought I didn't have any right to be happy, but it so happens, that being together makes her happy too... I'm just so lucky...'

Ichigo suddenly opened his eyes. He could have sworn he saw movement from next to the tombstone, but there was nothing now... maybe it was only the wind, playing with a branch...

He untangled his legs from their crossed position, and leaned back, arranging himself comfortably on the ground. The surface was nicely warmed by the early sun's rays. A small smile graced his lips. He continued the internal monolog.

'Well, today is the day of the wedding. I just wish you could be here with me now... You were the one who taught me how to be happy in the first place, so I guess you would be happy for me... and I think you would love Orihime very much! We're planning to stay here, in Karakura, close to Dad, Yuzu and Karin, but we want to find a finer place, for Orihime's old apartment is...'

Ichigo's eyes shoot open, as he heard a chilling roar fill the silence. He sprang to his feet. Experience, and the heavy feel in spiritual pressure told him clearly what to expect. He looked around, searching. He heard a high pinched scream... Somebody was being attacked!

He quickly grabbed the little bag he'd been carrying, pulling the zipper on it open.

'Hey! Kon!'

The little lion plushy was curled up inside, like a kitty-cat, sleeping soundly, and little huffs of snores escaping his chest.

'Kon!' Ichigo said once again, more loudly this time, and shaking him impatiently.

'Mmm... wadsup?' the mod soul mumbled, blinking his small button eyes up at him.

'Duty! Now!' Ichigo declared, and pulled the substitute badge from his jeans pocket. He pressed it against Kon's chest. The small pill of soul candy came out, and he swallowed it...

'A nice way to wake me up in the morning, really!' Kon whined, when he was already settled in his body, and Ichigo was standing next to him in his soul reaper form, with Zangetsu on his back, ready for battle.

'I'm not too thrilled about it either!' Ichigo answered bitterly. 'But what can I do? That stupid town's representative is nowhere close again... But I don't want to take any chances today! Just take my body home safely, and make sure you do everything Yuzu orders you to, until I return, got that?' Ichigo ordered him, while already taking his sword into his hand.

'Yeah... right... Wedding!' Kon muttered, realization lighting up his features. 'You better not take long!'

Ichigo only nodded in acknowledgment. As he began jumping through the tombstones, searching for the source of the trouble, leaving Kon behind, there was one thought echoing through his mind. He sighed.

'Why does it always have to be me?'

…...

A/N: We again have a winner: 'ranipaki' guessed right about Ichigo going to see his mom. 3 cheers!

I'm now going to work a bit more on „You, me and this crazy world", but then I guess I'll return to this one, since you seem to enjoy it so much! Can't leave you just hanging, can I?

Please review!