Bleach 1. Aftermath

"Hey Orihime! You wanna go to Karaoke after school, or something?" asked the long time friend Tatsuki. Tatsuki had felt that ever since the whole ordeal with the Espada's and Aizen she has been secrectly mopping when she's left alone. Its been 6 months since the incident, and Orihime has been obviously upset about something that maybe had scarred her while in Las Noches. Orihime looked towards the directions of her friends' voice, smiled politely and said in her usual happy tone of voice "Oh thanks Tatsuki, but I have a lot of homework to do over the weekend. Maybe next time." Tatsuki looked at her questionly "We didn't get any homework this weekend." she thought to herself. But despite that fact she responded "Alright, I'll see you next week then." and with that she walked off in the opposite hallway of the one Orihime had taken. Leaving Orihime to herself and to her usual sorrowful train of thought.

Since she and her friends returned to the World of the Living and defeated Aizen and the Espadas', she hasn't been the same. She knew quite well that it was over, there was nothing to worry about as her friends told her many times these past five months. But she couldn't help but think of nothing, dream of nothing, but the Espada that captured her and took her into the abyss of Hueco Mundo-Ulquiorra Schiffer. Why? She did not know. She could not even explain the pain she felt from just the thought of him and his sudden death. Those petrifying green eyes, the streaks that ran down his face like fresh tears, the smoothness of his alabaster skin, his long shaggy black hair, and the white horned helmet-like hollow mask that covered the left side of his head.

It was all real, she was there to witness it all happen-his death, that is-but she felt otherwise. She walked towards the front of the empty school building and began her departure to her small, lonely apartment. As she walked through the streets, feeling the liveliness of her home town: The neighboring children laughing and playing carefree, the wind chimming in her ear, the birds chripping, everything was the same as always. Her life continued and his didn't. "He deserved to experience life through new eye's. And someone to show him what life with a heart could bring him," she thought to herself-as she did almost everyday since then-as she reached her apartment building and began climbing the stairs to reach her floor to her apartment. "But then again why should I care?" she mumbled softly to herself reaching in the depths of her school bag to retrieve the keys as she came closer to her door; she felt a different object. Orihime gasped as she pulled out an item she had not seen since her time in Hueco Mundo.

The object in her hand was the silver bracelet that Ulquiorra had given her before he took her away from her friends and home. But she was sure she had misplaced it back in her time in Las Noches. How can it be? She certainly would have noticed it months ago, nevertheless, she didn't care after the realization came to her that the bracelet she held tightly in her grasp now would be the only thing left of Ulquiorra-a reminder that he _was_ real and that now he was gone forever. Orihime stood outside her apartment door clutching the bracelet close to her chest and slowly the saddness of it all over came her body and mind bringing her to her knees as she weeped silently. She hadn't cried for him not once since her return-why would she?- even with all the sad thoughts and agonizing surreal dreams of him; not once did she shed a single tear for the hollow. That is until she had real proof that he had been a part of her life. It was when she felt the sun dimming that she looked up and slowly stood on her feet and slipped the bracelet on her left wrist. "I'll wear it always," she said whispering to the setting sun and opened the door to her apartment.

That night she had another dream about him. But this one was different than the usual replay of his death or the one of Ulquiorra walking away as Orihime ran towards him even with all her strength she could not reach him. No...this one was happy and blissful to Orihime. She was with the Espada walking the streets of Kurakara town hand in hand wearing the school uniform, as she smiled full-heartedly and he looked down towards her with the same indifferent expression he always had worn. He appeared as the same Arrancar with all its works-the mask, the tear streaks, and the same intense green eyes she unconsicously became so fond of at some point. And just as his lips moved to speak, her alarm began buzzing.

"No, no, no!" she moaned softly into her pillow and as if she was hit by lightning she became still. And just as quickly as she did she shot up from the bed and looked at her left wrist desperately. The bracelet was right where she left it but looking wasn't enough, she clasp the the object as if it were an illusion and would soon fade into ash as Ulquiorra did. But it sustained it's solid form and with that Orihime began to question herself about how she, in actuality as a matter of her feelings and her heart; did she feel about the bracelet, about that dream, and how she truly felt about, Ulquiorra overall. No, she wouldnt think of Ulquiorra in any other way, besides a friend or maybe just an acquintance or someone along those lines.

Afterall He was the one that kidnapped her and tried to kill her friends, so these feelings she felt are mutual as to say she sympathized with Ulquiorra and his death as a fellow being and that was all, right? But then again would she feel all this pain from the thought of a dead _acquintance_? Would she think about this _acquitance_ so often that it obscured her from both her daily life and time with her friends? Or would she feel this flustered over a pleasant dream about any ol' _acquintance_? Would she have grieved the death of any ol' _acquintance_ for as long as 6 months as she has been?

The dream was a coincedence and so were the last several dozens of dreams she's had over the past 6 months. She brushed the thought of it all and decided to get up and to go out to run some errands. She quickly washed her face and got dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. She came to the door slipping on some shoes as she said "But I wonder what he wanted to say," she sighed in wonder as she walked out her apartment, locking the door behind her as she did.


	2. A Strangers Face

"Ah its been a long time since I've taken a relaxing bubble bath," Orihime told herself as she walked from the grocery store feeling content with herself and the effort she put into her daily errands. As she walked towards her building she came across the park. The park where she first encountered Ulquiorra. The place was currently under development since the event that occurred that left a massive creator, in the middle of the park.

She hadn't really gone by this place since she takes other routes to get home. Purposely avoiding the place, telling herself that it wasn't because it reminded her of HIM but because it just wasn't neccesary. "Its been over six months and the town hasn't fully finished refilling the thing," she said looking towards the construction site.

"How long does it take to dump dirt in a whole," she continued as she reluctantly walked towards the yellow "CAUTION" ribbon that surrounded half the park, as if the place itself or something all together pulled her in that direction like metal to a magnet. Realizing what she was doing she quickly stopped herself about 4 feet to the site and turned on her heels.

"Um I have to put the groceries away before the icecream melts!" she lied to herself as if afraid of what she would remember or see. But that was impossible to see anything other then a hole. Now running towards the haven of her small apartment and as she did she felt a slight chill crawling its way down spine.

"Wha-" suddenly she felt a strong spirtual pressure coming from behind her in the direction of the park. It felt strong and powerful. It felt familiar. It felt like _his_! She could recognize that reitsu anywhere. She has been around it more then anybody else.

"Its him!" she croaked, it was all she could say as the unexpected event took hold of her and overwhelmed her. It was impossible! She witnessed his entire being trumbled to ash as it blew along the wind high above the artificial sky of Las Noches.

So was she just imagining his reiatsu? Has she really wrapped herself around the idea that he was somehow still alive somewhere far beyond her reach? The spirtual pressure became even heavier almost suffocating. Orihime sprinted back to the park and lept over the construction tape and continued towards the hole that was just beyond a wall of trees in an opening. She searched the grounds around the area for any sort of sign that she wasn't just imagining things to prove her sanity. But before she could search any further she felt a different reiatsu high above the trees as a Menos teared its way out of a Garganta.

She reacted instantly "Koten Zanshun!" calling to her fairy-like defender to fight back the Menos from getting passed the Garganta to at least buy time for Ichigo and the guys to get here.

"I know they'll come," she thought to herself.

And as if to answer her plea "Tetsuga Tenso!" the orange-haired soul reaper, Ichigo shouted his battle cry. Ichigo's attack was enough to push the monster back into the garganta long enough for it to close again.

"Its not fighting back?" Orihime questioned not really looking for Ichigo to answer. He was all rived up in his fighting mode to even hear her anyway.

Finally satisfied with himself Ichigo looked to Orihime and asked "Hey, are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine thanks to you," she answered smiling happily. But Ichigo shook his head and told her with a serious face

"No. If you weren't here when you were and fought back to keep it at bay, it would have came through and caused even more of a mess to this place." He gestured to the enormous crator in the ground just behind them and continued to complain "I thought they would have fixed this by now," sighing disappointingly. "Soul Society should be the ones to fix these kinds of things!" Referring to architectural casualties the Hollows caused.

Suddenly Orihime became still "Hey! Are you alright Orihime..." Ichigo said urgently, but she could no longer hear her friend.

She could feeling nothing. Uquiorra's spiritual pressure was nowhere to be found not even the slightest bit. Was it just her imagination to begin with? She looked at Ichigo-vombie-like-and search his face for any indication that he too had felt it. But as she watched his worried expression and his lips moving mutely she could see no such indication. She felt her body shaking forcefully, coming to realize that it was Ichigo that was causing this.

Ichigo's voice slowly coming to "...alright? Orihime!" he shouted into her face forcefully. She shook off the numbness and looked to her desperately worried friend's face.

"Oh my gosh!" she said cheerfully "I'm sorry I just remembered that I left the stove on."

Looking up at his face to assure him of her state, she found him to be even more worried looking then before. It was then that she realized the tears pouring rigorious down her face. Feeling numbness return she sank to her knees. Darkness seemed to consume her as she felt her eyes slide slowly to a close just as she saw the setting sun just beyond Ichigo's shoulder.

"Ulqui..orra..." she croaked hushly before everything around her turned to darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>(Almost midnight that same evening...)<strong>

"Are you sure she said that, Ichigo?" Orihime heard someone say as she slowly came to. What had happened after the fight with the Menos? Feeling her throat and eyes dry she urged her body to come up from where she layed, still eyes closed. But her body felt like lead and could not even move or open her eyes as if it would drain all the energy she had just to peek to at least see where she was. She gave up trying and just layed there motionless.

The voices continued "Yes I've told you ten times already she said _that_ just before she fainted," said the second voice that she could make out to be Ichigo's. The first voice grunted angrily and said "Maybe it was because she was in the park where _it_ all happened and was to much for her." Recognizing the voice to be Uruyu's.

"But she went still shortly after we managed to push the Menos back into that Garganta and lied as to why," Ichigo spoke more softly making a little harder for her to hear.

He continued "Also that Menos didn't feel like it was really trying to get out. Almost indifferent as to whether it did or didn't. Not that Hollows reason their decision or anything. But still..." he trailed off as if continued thoughtfully to himself.

"But Ulquiorra can't still be-" her eyes shot open at the chilling name and as fast as she opened them she came to her feet stumbling towards the voices.

But the voices came to her before she could even get past the door that seemed to be from her bedroom from her apartment. "Orihime! You should get back to bed you are not well," her vision was blurred possibly from the dryness of them but she could make out his raven hair and his glasses as he came closer to left her to gently lay her to her bed once again.

"Ury-" was all she could manage in a hoarse voice.

"Don't speak. Your safe in your apartment," he said. But she wanted to ask him what it was that that Ichigo and him were discussing.

With a dry throat she could say nothing she wanted trying her voice again she configured a single word from her dry lips "Water."

She felt her lips mold into or tried to smile. Uruyu nodded and walked towards the kitchen. Ichigo now coming into view as he popped his head in her room smiling shyly almost regretful "Hey, Orihime are you going to be okay? Should I get Tatsuki to come and take care of you tonight?" Orihime wanted nothing more then to be alone at this point. She wouldn't want to burden anybody more then she already has. She shook her head and smiling weakly.

"Alright then," he gave her a crooked smile and walked towards what sounded like the kitchen whispering something she could not make out to Uruyu. Uruyu came back into the room with a tall full glass of water with a bendy straw making her throat cringe with thirst. He brought the plastic straw to her lips knowing fully well that she would not have the strength to pick up the cup in her state.

After she drank almost the entire cotents of the cup and finally she said still sounding hoarsely "Thank you, Uruyu." Uruyu set the glass cup on the night stand and pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose smiling down at her and said softly "I'll call my Tatsuki tomorrow morning to come check on you just in case, alright?" She could not win this one, she nodded in agreement, even if she had objected to it they would still come. "Such good friends," she thought to herself. And with that Uruyu made his way out her bedroom door and she heard the opening of the front door and the closing click. She sighed in relief and then saddness now replaced her relief. She was alone once again just as she wanted moments ago. She sighed to her inconsistent reasoning.

She tried to get up once again to reach the bathroom wanting to wash off the dried tears from earlier, that made her face feel stail. She weakly got to her feet and slowly stumbled her way to the bathroom. She didn't bother to turn on the lights for she did not want to see what she looked like in her present state. She already knew what she may look like; puffy red eyes, messy hair, possibly pale or extremely flushed-she could not tell through the stail feeling of her face. She brushed off her train of thought, embarrassed just imagining it.

After thoroughly washing and drying her face she searched blindly for eye drops but not wanting to make a mess of the medicine cabnet that was just behind the mirror of the bathroom she held her breath as she switched on the lights and braced herself to how she looked. But to her relief it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be but her hair was in a giant knot. "Aw, this could take hours to untangle," she said almost shouting through her smokey-sounding voice. Quickly and painfully tried hopelessly to untangle her long hair red hair, giving up just as quick as she began the unsightly task. Disgusted with how she sounded she took out both the eye drops and sore throat medicine from the cabnet and went back to her room knowing she would need them again shortly and to slip into her pajamas. After, she went to the kitchen to fill a pitch of water to bring back with her in case she became thirsty again and just as she was heading back to her bedroom, she felt the same spirtual pressure from earlier in the evening.

She gasp dropping the pitcher and as she did she ran out the door not bothering to slip on her shoes. She ran in the directions of the reiatsu barefoot not knowing where exactly it would lead but she had a pretty good idea. "I gotta make sure I'm not just imagining things," she said panting, she was still pretty drained of energy but still she pushed herself to finally reach her destination. As she thought, it came from the park, but it seemed to slowly fade yet again making her turn her run into a sprint. Ducking under the tape and running past the trees-the pressure was dissipating; as she came to a complete stop in front of the crater. The reiatsu was gone. Panting heavily she felt herself crumble again to her knees shaking from her lack of energy.

She disappointed herself once again, she thought to herself as she sat there, barefoot clutching the silver bracelet in her right hand. "Why?" she said looking up at the crestant moon. Silently she questioned her sanity "Am I really just going crazy? Why is it that only I can feel this..this thing?" not sure of what to call it anymore since it apparently wasn't spirtual pressure because Ichigo didn't seem to notice it at all. It was obvious it was _very_ late since the moon seemed to be more over towards the west side of the sky now. Possibly almost two in the morning, but being on grass that was covered in dew in front of the hole she felt relaxed. But it was late, she began to stand when suddenly she heard something "Ehm."

"Was someone with me the entire time?" she thought to herself. And just as she was about to make a run for it she heard it again.

"What if their really hurt?" Orihime the kind naive person that she is turned around to find the source of the sound.

"Hello? Is someone here? Are you hurt?" she said half whispering as if she didn't want any bystander (if any at this time at night) would hear her. The moaning sounds came from in the crater, she leaned in to see a motionless facedown body in the hole and by the looks of it was not wearing any clothes under the small cloak that drapped over the body. But she had to help and she wasn't going to wait for Ichigo this time. She sat on the edge of the crater and sled down the dirt walls of the hole. "Soten Kisshun" she shouted as she came closer to the body that from the slight muscular tone of the arms seemed to be a man.

"Um, sir I'm going to heal any sort of wounds you have," she whispered to him as she concentrated. "Orihime, this man has no wounds, possibly fell from fatigue," said the fairy-like being Ayame. "In any case, we have to help anyway we can," she said as she called them back.

"Sir, I'm going to turn you over, okay?" not waiting for an answer see flipped over his body as gently as she could also trying her best not to rivial anything of his from under the small cloak, almost glad the moon's light barely hovered over the hole. But from what she could see of his face it was pale and he had the darkest black shaggy long hair she had ever seen since...Ulquiorra. "Could it be?" she said almost hopeful. She laid his head gently on her lap as she was just about to call forth her sheild to reveal some light but just before then the moon came out from behind a cloud. Shinning much needed light into the crater and revealing the most impossible thing she could have imagined. The man the laid before her eyes was none other then Ulquiorra.

But although he resembled him there were things that did not confirm this. One, the tear-like marks that once rained down on his face were gone along with his dark upper lip that was now normal. Two, his helmet-like mask was gone. And three, looking at his throat and chest there was no sign of a hollow hole. Not even the number 4 tattoo he had once not to long ago just above his left pectoral muscule. The lack of tear marks, hollow mask, hole, and number confirmed that this was not the person who she thought him to be. But the way his black hair hung over between his eyes, the paleness of his skin (although looked more humanly pale then that of an arrancar), and the thickness of his eyebrows told her otherwise. But two things were certain that clarified that this man was not him: One, this man was human and; two, Ulquiorra was dead. "Santen Kesshun" calling forth her shield to slide under him to carry them both out the hole.

Jumping off the shield she said to her fairy-like beings "Hey do you guys think you can carry him all the way back to my house?"

"Yeah, no problem," they responded to her.

"Thanks you guys. I'm sure his friendly," she said exhaustedly yawning.

"I'll have to change him won't I?" cringing at the thought.

"This is going to be an even longer night, ugh!" bracing herself mentally as she walk limply towards the direction of her apartment building.


	3. Dreams

After all that happened, Orihime just could not sleep, having all these thoughts of what had just happened that late morning. Still her mind-bending questions were not answered: Where did that reiatsu come from? Certainly it was not the man that now laid on her bed...naked-she just did not have the courage to do change him into clothes or under garmets for that matter, without his knowledge at that-she simply covered his body as best she could. Also, had this man been laying in that hole since the day before when that hollow had appeared? And most mind blowing question of all, how is it that this man looks remarkably like Ulquiorra? Minus the face markings, dark lip, deathly pale skin, hollow mask and hole, this man could pass for him. And surprisingly did not scare her in the slightest.

She shook off her train of thought as she sat in a chair next to the man that occupied her bed. She looked at the clock that sat on the corner of her nightstand that read a-quarter-passed-5 a.m. She looked back at the stranger; he looked so peaceful and vulnerable almost beautiful to watch. As she gazed at his face her mind began to drift in and out of consciousness, clearly her adrenaline had began to falter taking its toll on her physically. Her eyes as result weighed heavy, fluttering as she rested her head back on the chair and fell asleep shortly coming to dream a dream she had before. The one she had after the Winter War had ended and many nights after.

"Are you afraid of me women?" he asked reaching his hand out to her as his body slowly turned to ash and blew into the wind.

"I'm not afraid," she replied staring into his eyes with sympathy for her dying captor.

"I see," pulling away his reach. What compelled her to do what came next was beyond her.

She reach out to him as he began to drift further away and just when she was certain she reached him. His hand crumpled as she tried to grasped it.

And just like that he was gone. And at that moment she had wished to call out her powers to restore his body before it inevitably drifted into the wind. As she did every time she dreamed that same dream she desired to restore him, unquestionably. At that moment she didn't see him as the enemy that killed Ichigo just moments before then. She saw him not as a friend either, but just a being that needed her assistance.

But in this dream she had many times before was different, the way she felt as he disappeared. He was a person, whom she wanted to stay alive, a helpless soulless being that needed guidance, to find the true meaning of the concept of having a heart and having friends to lean back on. And she wanted to be that friend. _His_ friend...

_Bum-bum, Bum-bum, Bum-bum..._

Suddenly she was awaken slowly to a light knocking-like noise and a steady rise and fall motion that came beneath her head. Warmth seemed to be emminating from it as well. "What could that be?" she thought to herself as she came to. Slowly her eyes fluttered open, her stormy grey eyes coming to as she did. The knocking and motion never subsided, and despite the uncertainty, she stayed as she was; however she was, enjoying the feel it gave her. How natural it felt that it relaxed her. Beneath her a soft moaning-like noise arose, in that instant she knew what it was. She shot up from her position still sitting in the chair she sat in this morning. To find out that she had been resting her head on the strangers bare chest. Her face felt flustered and increasingly warm as she continued staring down to find the blankets that covered the man's naked body just barely drapped over him as the cloak he was found in did.

"Oh my goodness," she whispered to herself arising from the chair, walking towards the bedroom door.

"I should make breakfast for when he wakes up," looking at the clock as the words came. It read that it was almost noon.

"Maybe lunch would be better."

The doorbell rang as she walked towards her small cramped kitchen. "Oh no! That must be Tatsuki."

"Orihime!"

"Oh um coming," she shouted towards the door. And suddenly heard more moaning and stirring from the bedroom. "Oh my gosh, not now," she said to herself not aware that it was loud enough for Tatsuki to hear from behind the door.

"You don't want me here?" questioned, Orihime's best friend.

"Oh I didn't mean you-I mean-I was talking to myself." Dashing to open the door for her friend. Hoping she would not come inside when she did. She wasn't sure how she would take to finding a man in her bed-_naked_! Orihime adjusted herself hoping she looked decent and opened the door, to find Tatsuki leaning against the frame, her brows scrunched together in confusion it seemed.

"Hey, Uryu called me and told me about yesterday. Are you doing okay?" she said pushing herself up and brushed passed Orihime into the apartment.

_"NO! WHAT AM I GONNA DO?"_ she thought loudly to herself. Tatsuki is a dear friend but if she knew about the stranger in her bedroom she would jump to conclusion and all the while protect Orihime. Possibly beat the poor stranger to his death. She nodded in response, continuing to her kitchen, pulling out pots and pans and utinscles. Hoping to make enough noise to drown the soft noises that came from the room just feet away from Tatsuki.

"Um, Tatsuki would you like to join me for lunch?" all the while hoping silently that she would decline. "I'm making something I've been trying to try-" she started.

"Oh Orihime um I just had a big lunch, and I'm on a special diet for the tornament coming up!" Tatsuki stated cutting off Orihime. Orihime's creations were never the most delictable, or edible. Shuddering as Tatsuki thought about the last thing Orihime had shoved playfully into her mouth unwillingly.

"I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay," she continued.

"Oh alright. That's to bad I was gonna add bean paste to the reciepe," Orihime said nervously glad Tatsuki had turned down the offer.

"Your face is flushed though," her friend said as she placed her hand against Orihime's forehead, testing it with her own. She continued to diagnose her, "Hm, your warm but it doesn't feel like a fever..."

"Oh don't be silly Tatsuki I just woke up and it gets pretty warm in here around the time it gets to summer, you know that," she said smiling timidly to her worried friend. "Don't worry I'll be fine, so you don't have to go through the trouble of checking up on me-not that I don't love having you-"

"Its ok, I understand. You don't like to be a burden. But your not, and we know you can take care of yourself, but its just since the whole thing thats happened with the Soul Society thing-well you've been...not yourself."

"I-" Orhime started to apologize for her behavior but Tatsuki would not allow it.

"Don't. You need your space, I get it. But just know I'm here if you ever wanna talk about it, okay?" She never realized that she worried her friends so much.

"Thanks Tatsuki, I promise."

"Okay, well I have to go to my part-time job I got at the sporting goods store," Tatsuki stated as she made her way to the door, excusing herself from Orihime's horrible inedible meal. "Call me later," she stated as she opened the door and walked out closing the door behind her not waiting for a response fearing that she might insist on that meal offer.

"PHEW!" she sighed loudly as soon as she was sure Tatsuki was far away from the door to hear. But her worries were not yet solved, there was still the matter of the naked man in her bed, who would soon awake.

"I'd better look for some clothes for him. I guess it would be okay to spare a few of Sora's clothes," she said in a low kind voice. "He wouldn't mind. Would you big brother?" she asked as she looked at his portrait towards the small shrine.

She left the kitchen heading towards the bedroom closet, forgetting all about cooking as she thought clothes should be the main priorty at this point. She looked down at the stranger, blushing as she witnessed that the blanket was even further from providing coverage. He was still sleeping as she marveled at the flesh that was visible. He was certainly fairly built with such a slim body frame. She dared her eyes to look just under his abs to his V-shape. Her face flared in heat as she tore her eyes away, continuing towards the small closet.

"Clothes," she reminded herself as she reach towards the back of the closet searching for a box that was filled with her deceased brother's belonging. Finally she dragged the box out and opened it, reaching carefully not to ruin the way the items were neatly stacked. Satisfied to part with a grey T-shirt, black jeans, checked boxers, pair of socks, and sneakers; she closed the box and shoved it back into the depths of the closet.

"These might be a little to big, but I'm sure when he wakes up he'll go home and give these back later," she said as she turned towards the nightstand to set the clothes for when he awoke, trying her hardest not to look towards the bed-to see God knows as she set the clothes down in a neat pile atop of the table that was-just inches from where he laid-she could hear his slow deep breathing becoming more quicker, as low moans escaped his parted lips. She froze. To find a pair of familiar piercing green eyes, staring into hers.

"It can't be..." she whispered.

_"But his reiatsu was...is not his reiatsu,"_ she thought to herself.

He continued to stared into her grey stormy eyes but said nothing. His expressions did not register that he was either surprised, nor aware of the situation. He remained expressionless as he had the moment she met him, and the moment of his death. _"There is no way this man could look exactly like Ulquiorra. With the same expressions and those eyes...those same piercing green eyes_," she thought to herself as he held her gaze the same way _the_ Ulquiorra she knew did. Petrifying her entire being yet she dared to ask him-

"Ul-Ulquiorra?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: First off thanks for my first two reviews. Its nice to know someone is reading, and so far enjoying what I have wrote. <strong>

**The story is going kinda slow, but I promise you it will develop. I LOVE ULQUIHIME! **

**That said there will-I repeat-WILL be lemon moments, just not yet, of course. **

**So again thank you for reading.**


	4. Heart?

"Ul-Ulquiorra?"

He shot up from the bed to his feet at the mention of his name. Still no emotion smeared his face, but his actions said otherwise, he was unaware of how he got here or where he was. Or how he could even be alive for that matter. He had died what felt like just moments ago; yet he stood here in front of this woman who he once had to care for under Aizen's orders. The woman who once irritated him to no end with her constant ranting of her friends assured victory and her talk of "The heart."

"Orihime Inoue," he stated as he held Orihime's gaze in place.

"Ex-excuse me?" she asked as she stared; half concious to what he just said. Surprised that this man knew her name and spoke in the same monotone Ulquiorra always did.

"You called my name, did you not?" he questioned her.

Still in a state of shock Orihime only continued to stare blankly into his eyes clutchinig the silver bracelet she had slipped into her left wrist just two days ago, trying to registering that this _human_ man responed to the name Ulquiorra. He knew her name as well, so it could only mean that he was _him_. The hollow she had just dreamed of only a few minutes ago. The person who she thought and dreamed of almost everyday since the war with Aizen had ended, was here, in her room, alive, and naked. To this realization and his current state she reacted.

"Oh my gosh!" she squeked as she noticed herself still staring, her face burning reaching to her ears. "I'm sorry, I didn't see anything a swear-oh um," she said as she reach around her back for the clothes she had just placed on the night stand. "I'm sorry," she squeled as she walked up to him, eyes closed, and shoved the clothes into his chest, only peaking to find her way towards the door and ran passed him to it. But before she passed through the threshold of the door he grabbed her wrist, but she did not turn to find him there standing without a stitch of chothes.

"Woman, where am I? How did-" he started to ask in a calm manner but was soon interrupted. "I'm sorry put your clothes on first, _PLEASE_!" Orihime said in a voice of panic her face flushed a violent shade of red as she snatched her arm from his firm grasp and ran out the door slamming it behind her.

She staggered towards the kitchen table in a daze, still mesmerized by the Ulquiorra she once feared, and in the end no longer feared but pittied was alive and well in her room. _This most be a dream,_ she thought as she recalled the past six months thinking and dreaming of only him. "Did I-?" shaking the thought of it as she started to say in a low timid voice but stopped her self in mid-sentence knowing all to well that she could never have done that since she did not call forth her powers both his demise.

Nevertheless, isn't this what she wanted? She had said just two days ago that she thought Ulquiorra deserved to have a second chance at life and that she desired just this morning in her dream that she would be the one to help him to find the meaning of a heart, and the opportunity came knocking at the door just as she had wished.

_ But something is wrong...the reiatsu from last night and the day before...they was unmistakenly his, I'd know it better than anyone expect maybe Ichigo or Uryu. But still, Ichigo didn't notice it. It might have been gone before he got to the park but he should have felt it even before than. Anyway, this Ulquiorra has no traces of having any such reiatsu he once had, _she trailed off as she wondered through her memories of her time in Las Noches with Ulquiorra.

"I'll ask him about that later but right now," she said as the sound of her hungry stomach, "I gotta cook something yummy for lunch. I bet Ulquiorra most be really hungry."

She stood from the kitchen table and made her way to begin cooking on her tiny stove, making a loud ruckous with the pots and pans she pulled out from the cabnets.

* * *

><p>He stood there moments after she disappeared where he stood alone and looked down to find that he was indeed nude, yet he felt no embarrassment from it, why would he? In his mind, it was nothing to feel nervous or embarrassed about, it was his body and he was not self-conscious in the slightest. But as he further analyzed his body he gasped in soft tone that no one would have heard even in close range. Where was his hollow hole? Where was his number four tattoo that once was just above his left pectoral? Searching the outline of his skull, feeling for a horned-bone-like helmet, but his hands only grasped locks of his black hair. Where was it? These questions roamed his mind in utter disbelief of the things he knew he once had but now he found nothing of the sort.<p>

As he stood there trying to recollect would he could remember before his death in Hueco Mundo and before he felt the darkness engolf his being. But remembered nothing that would have brought him back and in a mortal form...a human body; the very thing he once despised with his whole exsistence.

"Trash," he spat at the very thought of himself.

He reached for the clothes the woman had provided for him. As he looked them over he felt even more so, disgusted with himself. "Human," he thought. How? When? Why? He did not know the answer to and he doubted anyone in this world would ever know. But he would start with the girl with god-like healing powers, the one quality that was of use to Lord Aizen and his plans for conquest. But why would she, if she had indeed restored him? He had been her captor and caretaker under Lord Aizen's order's, but as he logically thought it over in his mind he came to realize if the girl was alive then that would mean he had lost and everything was for nothing. As for the time it has been since then, was also a mystery to him...

(Metal clashing and banging beyond the door)

"What hidious and uncomfortable clothing, these human's wear," he thought to himself as he dressed in what was provided by the woman. And walked out to see her seating at the table surround by what appeared like to be food but smelled of something else all together.

"Ah, good to see you nak-I mean I'm glad to see your wel-l-I made us some lunch. I wasn't sure what you liked so I made-" she was babbling when Ulquiorra interjected.

"I will only ask you once and I want a straight answer. Where am I? And how did I get here?"

She looked up into his face about to answer to his demands but suddenly thought he was in no position to make demands. They were no longer in Las Noches, he was no longer an Arrancar, and _she _was no longer under his or anybody elses control. But those questions were exactly what she sought to find the answers to and apparently he did not have the answers to either, but she would make it clear to him how the stood. Or at least timidly attempt.

"Uh you can't order me to do anything anymore," she said studdering trying to look him in the eye but she could not. His gaze was to intense to bare. "But just so you know I don't really know the answers to your questions. But your in the World of the Living in my apartment," she began as she attempted to retell how she found him in the trench in the park. "I found you last night-at the park where you first arrived. And I brought you back but as to you being a human, I do not know," she said finishing her explaination looking up to see how he took what she just said. But his face was as unreadable as the day she met him. She sighed to this and continued to say smiling "But you still seem the same except you have a heart now-" he gasped cutting her off.

He had not realized it till he heard her say it "Heart you say?"

Orihime got up from the table and made her way around it to where he stood and lifted her hand and rested it on his chest-he made no attempt to stop her-and said "Yes Ulquiorra Schiffer, you have a heart now," feeling the soft warm rhythm of his beating heart. A rhythm that said it all, he was human and now he obtained what humans can not live without. The one thing he could never understand as a hollow before and the one thing he can not see. And now it beat so he could live as a human in this world. But having a heart wasn't enough to understand it, especial for one who's lived without one for who knows how long.

Several moments passed and her hand hand was still rested on his chest, and finally she let her hand drop and she continued to stare into his eyes. "Did he not realize that?" she thought to herself when a grumbling noise errupted from both their stomachs as if in sync. "Well let's eat first, I'm sure your hungry," she said as she made her way to her seat but he made no move to follow her.

"Why are you not as intimated by all this? Are you not afraid of my being here, as a human?" he asked blankly as he watched her fill her plate.

She never questioned her actions as to why to any of those things he asked. First it was only to shelter the man she found last night. But now that she knew it was Ulquiorra it made no difference. Orihime always felt intimated by him in Las Noches but despite that now she felt comfortable in his presence-more or less. Was it because he was human and less powerful? Was it because it just the kind thing to do for someone in need? Or was it something all togehter? She had just dreamed of Ulquiorra and reaching out to him to show him what it was to posses a heart and now the opportunity presented itself, and she was up to some him exactly that. She didn't know how she was going to go about it but she wasn't going to back down now, not now, because who knew if his being human is temperary. She had to-no she wanted to help him. Just as she desired in countless dreams.

She smiled gingerly as she gestured towards the chair beside her and waited waited for him to sit. He made his way to the chair and once seated he looked her way for her to continue. She did blushing slightly as she continued; "This morning I dreamed of the moment you died" pausing momentarily to graze his facial muscle for any slight twitch or any movement she might have spotted at the mention of his death and her dream-it did no such thing. She continued "and wished that I had called out my powers to restore your body because I wanted to help, guide you so that you may understand what it was to have a heart. And now I have-no-you have that chance and I'm going to show you," she said and then blushed softly as she finished her sentence in surprise of herself. Never had she thought in her wildest dreams she would speak to Ulquiorra in such a way. A kind gentle way, he has never been spoken to in that manner: It stirred something inside him...curiousity, disbelief?

She placed a plate full of unidentified substance in front of him.

"What is the substance?" he said as he looked at the plate; near disgust in his eyes.

"Uh, it-it's your meal, of course. Dig in! Its delicious," she said staring at him in confusion.

She continued, "It's sort of ironic isn't it?" no response on his part. "You provided me with clothes and food once a time ago, and now I'm doing it for you."

"Don't misunderstand girl, I will not stay in this world of yours for long. I never wished to be brought back much less as a human. I will consume this sustanence and be on my way," he said in a firm, determined voice, yet it remain as dull in tone as ever.

_'Not stay in this world? Be on his way? Where? He had no real home here? Did he plan on returning to Hueco Mundo as a human? _These questions ran through the mind of Orihime as she tried to make sense of his words?

"Wh-what do u mean? Your welcome to sta-" she stopped at the clatter of his spoon to his finished meal.

"I do not belong in your world. This is an obstruction of the Fates design. And I am of no use in this fibble fragile body. This human body, is trash," he said as he wiped his mouth gracefully with his napkin. "Repulsive," he said insultingly towards the meal he had just consumed. But although that may be he was not about to pass over a meal when he felt as hungry as he did. _Humans need to be tentive to their needs. What weakness! _he thought.

_What did he just say?,_ she thought. She dropped the fork in mid air just before it made her mouth. _Does this mean... _

Orihime felt numb as she fully digesting what he just said, basically declaring...his death. Was being human that horrible to him? Does he not see this as another opportunity at life? And he was just going to waste it just because a human body is not as powerful of that of his hollow existence? _No, no I will not allow that,_ she thought fiercly. She promised herself and unofficially to Ulquiorra also that she will help him live a better life than that of his past. _Maybe if I tell him about the reiatsu I felt before he'll think twice before doing anything to...end himself, _she thought as she gloped mentally at her last two words.

"I-I felt your reiatsu yesterday afternoon and again when I found you. If-if its any consulation-"

"No it is not. That was possibly the last of it since I don't feel any remenants of my reiatsu any longer except the meager, inferior spiritual pressure of any other worthless human."

That was possible but yet...

"Well the first time I felt it, I knew it was yours and it was strong and dark as when you were an Arrancar. And I ran to it the moment I did," she said and then blushed realizing how her words sounded after she already had spoke them. She continued in almost hast, "B-but when I got there, at the park that is, it was gone and there was a Menos there after your reiatsu was gone or during I don't really remember. And Ichigo came just after your reiatsu was gone to distroy the Menos-but he didn't kill it it only got pushed back into the Garganta-" she gasped for air as she nearly finished. And after a few more gulps of air she continued a little more calmly as she panted, "So Ichigo should have felt it before he even got there but he didn't seem to have noticed. Not one bit. Only me."

She roamed his face to find the slightest infracuture in his flawless front but came to nothing.

"Why only me?" she asked almost regretting it. "Ichigo should have felt it-he might be dense to recognize most reiatsu's-but I'm positive he still knows yours and as well as I do but he didn't. He should have felt it long before he arrived because as I said before it was _strong_..."

_Wait am I praising his strength? No, I'm only trying to make a point that maybe he still has some sort of abilities to his use...But should I have told him that? Maybe he'll try to kill Ichigo again if he does have some power left, _she thought as she continued to look over his face for any signs of acknowledgement that he would try to gain power, but there was none.

She sighed heavily at this and thought to herself, _I thought since he was human now he'd be a little easier to read, but not Ulquiorra..._

Ulquiorra thought over what Orihime had just suggested for a breif second and after he spoke. "If what you say about Kurosaki is correct, that he should have noticed my reiatsu the moment it leaked then that would mean he would have if it was. That would mean you only imagined it."

She gasped. _But- I didn't...I admit to myself that I have been...keeping Ulquiorra's memory alive. But I did feel him. It was real. _

Ulquiorra continued to only stare at the dazed girl in front of him and as he did he thought over what he had just said asking himself: _But why would she even want to? _He pushed the question aside as it was irrelevant to yet it flamed his curiousity as she always had in Las Noches, but did nothing to indulge it.

He arised from the table looked towards the still dazed girl and said solemly "Do not misunderstand me, woman. Even if there was a chance that he did have some of my power languished within me, I would not pursue it."

Orihime snapped out her trance and bolted to her feet as she had heard him say those words. "Why wouldn't you?"

Ulquiorra turned his torso to face the front door and brought his body to it as he did and walked eliquently towards it, hand hand stuffed in his pant pockets in such a familiar way, as he reached for the knob with his free hand he turned his eye to look at her before opening the door and declared "I have _nothing_ I wish to fight for," and walked out of the door closing behind him as Orihime only stood there to stare blankly at the door, as she gave up to herself ambitions to wanting to help him.

_I can't help someone..._

_who doesn't want my help... _

* * *

><p><strong>AN: HELLO! Sorry it took so look. I had to sign up for my classes last minute, then I felt under the weather, my brother and future wife were in town...**

**UGH! And it goes on and on. But anyway I'd like to say a couple things about this chapter, and also an alternative plot I thought of while I was in the bath, that I'm thinking of writing after this one if time and classes will allow me in the future. **

**Ok well, first off I did take me a while to put this crucial moment of this fanfic together. And also as to HOW Ulquiorra got ressurected is still unknown to both characters but it will be in the next couple chapters to come so don't fret. ALSO, as to Ulquiorra being unhappy or "disgusted" with his present self as a human and wants to kill himself (or so Orihime _thinks_); well I just thought it went with his previous life as an Arrancar since he remembers it and all, that said he didn't like humans and thought of them as weak and garbage [am I wrong? -_please comment if so_] So would he want to remain human himself? **

**Anyway, um yeah so please comment/review this chapter. It help to stay motivated to know that there are some readers that enjoy this. If not there would be no purpose for it. **

**Thanks for reading. **

**PS Classes might interfer with updates so just bare with me. **


	5. Sync

**A/N: I had this chapters contents in my mind for sometime, but as I was writing the last chapter I have changed my mind considerably so, that I had writers block since my completion of chapter 4 and almost lost interest in writing anymore for this story. But I don't like being half-assed about anything especially my feelings towards my favorite Anime-fan couple UlquiHime. So I'll just suck it up, and I've now found my inspiration on a cloudy-gloomy rainy day...So sad yet it creates both wonderful sounds and creations...Remember this is FAN-MADE meaning this story may or may not exactly correspond to the actual things that happened in the anime/maga. Sorry if it upsets any reader. I'll try to follow as much as I can with the characters intial personality but I am making lil twiches in Orihime and a tiny ity bity bit on Ulquiorra [drooling =_,= ]**

**Anyways, well whatever the case my be for me here is UlquiHime's story continuation. Enjoy.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Tear through these holds,<em>**

**_And rip away my heart, _**

**_With an effort so constrained,_**

**_This is the venom in my veins._**

**_..._**

_**This is the venom in my viens,**_

**_Created and cured by the same._**

**_~We are the reasons by We Came as Romans~random ;]_**

* * *

><p><em>Darkness has eluded my vision... <em>

_There are no sounds but the constant slight ringing in my ears... _

_My body hovering in this abyss..._

_My mind is in a haze, clouded..._

_Death will soon fully engulf my being as I drift into unconciousness... _

_And as I do, subconciously I lift my arm towards the darkness. Holding it there until it fails and becomes limp..._

_Remembering that warm hand that momentarily grazed my cold coarse like skin, my enemy and yet that hand reaches for me as I was... _

No, _I thought. I welcome my death. I am no longer of use to Lord Aizen__... _

_And for that reason alone I no further purpose..._

_I_ have_ no reason to fight for._

_Just before I lost my senses completely and my arm falling before it, I felt a surge of warmth graze the tips of my fingers... _

_I have never known such warmth, almost consuming my being but just as I did I no longer felt it as my death at last...succumbed my fading exsistence..._

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra sat on a bench in the park where he first arrived in Kurakara town just a little ways far from the crater towards the blocked entrance behind the trees, trying to recollect any memory of what could have turned his embodiment into that of a humans, but could come to no conclusion. The only way was for Orihime to use her powers before he completely dissolved, but she had mentioned she did no such thing...again why would she, he thought.<p>

After leaving her apartment, that was two days ago, he had wondered aimlessly watching the people of the town goaking and whispering nonsense as he brushed passed them indifferently. Certainly with his alabaster skin, black hair, and above all electrifying green eyes that could pierce through the very soul of whom ever they lay sight on, also his attire was to dark for late spring made him seem all the more suspicious to the townsfolk. He neither understood why they would bother to wonder about someone the didn't know nor did he care to know. _Insolent humans_, he thought as he walked through the mid-day busy streets.

_Why would I want to remain such a pitiful being_, he began to think as he did the woman's face crossed his mind.

_"...Ulquiorra Schiffer, you have a heart now..."_

What Orihime had said the day before had been circling around his thoughts as he had tried to extinguish his unnatural life many a times but everytime he tried to do so, whether it was to plummet from a building or to walk into the ongoing traffic, the words she had spoken would appear the moment he tried anything of the sort. Was it because he had wondered many a times as a hollow about what it was to have a heart and its significance? Or was it something else altogether? Now all he did was walk around the town aimlessly trying to find the reason for "this heart," to put in an end to his curiousity, but the more he thought about it the more his thoughts brought the womans face to mind. At first he believed this only to be coincident, but her face and words only came more frequent even as he did nothing but sit in the park bench as he did now. This was not going to subside until he found the meaning of his persistent thoughts of the heart and after doing so he could finally lay to rest and go on with his previous task of _dying_ to put it bluntly.

_I have no reason to fight but I could at least come to answer this ridiculous question; seeing as "the Heart" is not a tanglable object which neither I can see nor touch._

"But where to start? Shall I return to see that woman and ask her to show me?" he asked mermering into the evening sky.

Thinking over his own questions for a brief second and rose to his feet as to answer his question. He would ask the woman to assist him in this task, but as he moved foward he staggered and felt almost faint. He detested his weak body, knowing fully well that it was because he had not eaten any food since the morning before yesterday nor had he slept last night because he had not eaten. But he had more then enough strength to make the walk to the girl's house. He remembered well the route he had to take, only a few minutes from where he was. But just as he rose to his feet and walked towards the exit of the park near the construction he heard someone coming towards him. He would just ignore whoever it was but suddenly, "Ulquiorra are you here? Please." He knew well enough that it was Orihime.

"Just the person I wanted to see," he said whisper-like. The foot steps became more audiable, heavier in sound. He decided to let her come to him to save his energy: Just as she came into view smiling as she saw his face wearing the school uniform he seen her wear when he came for her "Ulquio-," another familiar voice came from behind her cutting her off. He also recognized this voice.

"Orihime, what are you doing in here? The park is closed," the voice said as it closed in from behind Orihime.

"Ichigo!" she yelped "I didn't sense you coming!"

Ichigo sighed in his distress and continued "Orihime you should be more careful its going to be getting dark soon and hollows might be out and not to mention some weird..." he drifted from the conversation, finally realizing that they were not alone.

"Ichigo I..." Orihime tried to explain but was at a lose for words. How could she ever explain how or why Ulquiorra stood in front of their very eyes when she herself did not comprehend? Moreover, why she sought him out after he left her apartment two days ago; not that he even knew about this. She could have just let him be, do whatever it was he wanted to do, but couldn't. Despite his part in attempting to taking over both the afterlife and the living worlds, despite how his pressence in that cell in Hueco Mundo made her feel scared, sad, angry, and utterly inferior and weak to resist to his and Aizen's whims. She couldn't just let it all end, however it was that he came to be in this world, _her_ world, to let it go to waste. And that scared her most above all: That possibly he came back for her sake, although for his character that was impossible, but if what if it was their destiny or fate...that was a different story...

Ulquiorra stood just feet away from the two of them, Ichigo could see his face clearly and gasped loudly. "You look just like-" taking note to the fact the the grey V-neck shirt exposed no hollow hole and also taking into account that he had no mask and absolutely no abnormal reiatsu that he could be wrong to say such crude things about the person before him. "I'm sorry I thought you were someone I used to know.'' Ulquiorra only stood there in silence but continued to stare in their direction and thought, _So he does remember me_.

"I am who you believed me to be," he said as to try to get him to react that he had been revived: Though he himself did not know why or how. But the soul reapers frustration pleased him and more so when Ichigo stood numb-like and mumbled "I-It can't...So you are..."

"I _am,_ Ulquiorra Schiffer." But what was he saying, what was he thinking by announcing himself? When he had no power to defend himself if there was to be an uproar. He sighed to himself, _Well if that is what it will come to it saves me the trouble of finishing the job myself. But I would have liked to have my questions answered..._

As soon as Ulquiorra introduced himself Ichigo reach for his combat badge and removed himself from his body, "Monster! How did you come back?"

Ulquiorra did nothing to answer his question, only watched as Ichigo drew his large sword and stood his ground ready to fight him, expecting to see his sword in turn. Ulquiorra was just about to speak provoke the soul reaper even more, but he came charging towards him sword pulled back providing more force on impact and just as he came into Ulquiorra's view he thrusted the sword forward but Ulquiorra did nothing to evade the attack. But was blocked by a bright glowing shield, Orihime's shield.

"STOP! ICHIGO!" she screamed at the top of her lungs before running to the two as Ichigo jumped back from her shield and stared bewildered towards Orihime.

"Orihime, did you not hear him? His-"

"I know who he is, and his human, Ichigo," she said as she stood in between the two to prevent another attack on Ichigo's part.

"It can't be. This has to be some trick-" Ichigo started.

"He was about to take your attack, did you not see he did nothing to counter attack or avoid it? Ulquiorra has no more power to fight can't you sense it?"

Ichigo looked irratedly in Ulquiorra's direction, "Why didn't you at least move outta the way? You could at least-"

"I had no intention of doing anything to evade your attack. It would have saved me the-" Ulquiorra started but the woman interrupted.

"Stop it. Don't you dare finish that sentence," she said sobbing fresh tears developing on the rims of her stormy grey eyes. She continued as she turned to Ulquiorra and walked towards him, "Why can't you see this as your second chance at a new life? Why do you want to waste it?" she stop just two feet from where he stood, looking up into his eyes with her teary eyes. He stood composed but felt curious as to what would come...

"Orihime stop! What are you doing? His going to hurt you!" Ichigo was only a few feet behind Orihime but his words did not reach her, she walked foward.

She took a step foward closing what little distance they had before ignoring Ichigo's pressence altogether, reaching down for his hand which appeared to be abnormally cold for a warm day like this. She carried his hand in hers and brought it to her chest, and pressed his hand against the fabric of her shirt and overlaped it with her other hand.

Ulquiorra was not bothered by any of it but as his hand laid pressed against her chest he felt _her_, taking it all in. The soft beating under his hands _Bum-bum, Bum-bum_ , trying to match the rythm of her breathing to it, and the feeling that suprised him most. The sun-like warmth the emminated from her hands, almost noglastic as if he had felt this before...

He understood a little more about the difference between the heart of humans, and the heart of humans Orihime fondly spoke of. The feeling of her physical heart was essential for life, the beating signified life, but the "heart" was still something he didn't understand. This heart beneath his hands could be tangable, if he could rip open her chest, but what he seeks is not but of the same name. Orihime still carried his hand but slowly pushed it away from her body but in turn she put it against his own chest holding his gaze and without releasing his hand she reach for his other hand that oddly limped to his side and laid it against her chest once again.

They stood there in that manner for what felt like forever but as their hands laid across their chests there was something strange that Ulquiorra seemed to have picked up as both his hands felt the beatings of his and her hearts. Unlike her body temperature his was alot colder than expected of a human body's normal standards but that was not what alarmed him. As the stood there for just moments longer he understood the strangeness of the situation... or rather, the hearts he felt beneath his palms. Both his and Orihime's hearts, were in unison...

_Bum-bum, Bum-bum..._

_Bum-bum, Bum-bum..._

"What is going on, Orihime?" Ichigo called from near distance sounding flustered and outraged by what his dear friend was doing or rather allowing as Ulquiorra took notice to this but made no remark nor move away from her gesture but Ichigo was no longer of any concern of Ulquiorra nor to Orihime. Not for the moment anyway.

"You feel it don't you, Ulquiorra? Our hearts, our physical hearts beat as one," her eyes dropped the gaze she held from Ulquiorrra as well as his hands and took a step back. "I think I know what happened to you. To us, rather. And I will explain," she said looking back towards Ichigo and back to Ulquiorra "But first I think we should go back to my place, I think you might be hungry and a bath." She laughed full-heartedly and about faced towards the exit. His clothes seemed clean at a glance but smelled to the contrary.

* * *

><p>Orihime and Ichigo sat on the small kitchen table of her apartment in an ackward silence, fidgeting in her chair as they waited for Ulquiorra to return from his bath. Also Ichigo's stare-down didn't help the atmosphere anymore then their present situation. Orihime had had this guy on her mind since they started high school together, his strange hair, and demeanor scared her at first but soon she developed a crush for him. During the Winter War all she could think of to keep her hopes high was her friends and Ichigo, hoping and not hoping, they would come for her. But after the war was over all she could think of was Ulquiorra. And especially since she figured out how he ended up to be alive.<p>

"Orihime," Ichigo broke the stare-down and the silence first "Before _he_ comes back from his bath, tell me. What happened?"

Orihime looked up at the cieling, in a thoughtful trance trying to figure where to start. "Well...hmm well I guess I'll start by telling you about the day when the menos tried to come through. Wait we should probably wait until Ul-"

"Woman," the voice came from the bathroom as the door opened in the short distance from the kitchen. "I am in need of clean clothes," Ulquiorra ordered as he came walking out of the steamy bathroom with nothing but the small towel wrapped around his waist. Orihime's face blushed a briliant red trying to avoid the view before her but she could tear her eyes from the wet, dripping, shyly muscular lean body the way his black hair seemed darker-if at all possible-wet and the way it sticked to him smooth face...

"KYYYAAAA! OH MY, I'M S-S-S-SORRY, I F-FO-FORGOT..." she screeched as she ran to her room to retrieve more of her brother's clothes. Leaving Ulquiorra and the more irratated soul reaper Ichigo.

"HEY! You can't just prance around her home like you own the place! Especially if your naked and people are around-GIRLS IN PARTICULAR!" Ichigo said scoldingly towards Ulquiorra towards his unruely behavior. "Don't you have any decentacy? At least have respect for Orihime and her home."

Ulquiorra didn't think it to be a big deal since he didn't believe it to be a matter of disrespect not the he trying not to it just didn't occur to him that this human life will be his now and that there are morals to be followed. At least until he figures out what he really wants to become after she reveals the mystery behind Ulquiorra exsistence as a human.

But Ulquiorra just couldn't help what he was about to say tto further irritate Ichigo, "She has already seen my body fully revealed..."

_BANG!_ Ichigo raised to his feet hitting the small table and made his way where Ulquiorra stood waiting for Orihime to return with clothes. Nose to nose Ichigo stood with Ulquiorra, grinding his teeth, fury swept through his entire body as Ulquiorra stood unsuprised by his actions for had foreseen it the minute the words left his lips. And he was just beginning to flame the fire.

"Do you have affections for the woman?"

"Its not like that, she's a dear friend. I would never look at her like that..." but as those words left Ichigo, he could see Orihime's hurt face from behind Ulquiorra with the promised clothes in her hands. Ulquiorra turned to meet the grey eyes that were noticably hurt. _So she has affections for Kurosaki, _he noted to himself. Ichigo was speechless but tired to attempt to explain the meaning of his words not fully aware himself of the true reason she felt hurt. He was to thick to realize her unrequinted love for him.

"I didn't...I mean...Your my friend. And I care about you... You...You know that, right?"

Orihime couldn't meet the eyes that she secretly longed for, for a long time. It was hopeless to hope he could acknowledge her feelings at least. But she told herself that she would rather him be her friend then nothing at all. "Oh of course, I understand. I was just concentrating on what to make for dinner. Ha ha ha silly me." she said forcing a smile. And walked past Ichigo to Ulquiorra still wearing her smile she pressed the clothes gently against his chest and said "Here you go. Hurry and change so we can discuss _this_ matter." Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo he seemed to believe her and looked relaxed. But he knew better not just as an observer but he could feel his heart fluttering the moment he heard Ichigo's words. And he understood. They're hearts are in synch from now onwards he and her would be able to feel each in such a way. _But why? _he thought as he looked towards Orihime who had her back turned rummaging through the cabnets. And made his way to the bathroom to dress.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I apologize for the long wait on this chapter I started my college courses and had me already writing essays. And I am currently writing one so the next chapter will probably take a while. **

**I apologize. But reviews are crucial in writing because I need to fuel myself with them. ^^,**


	6. White Noise

After explaining the first half of the story to Ichigo about how she found him that day of the Menos attack in the park that she found him and how she brought him home but left the same morning. "Shun Shun Rikkan," she called out. "Alright tell them what you told me, Ayame."

Ayame started, "It was happening not long after you all came back from Hueco Mundo, and everything started to settle down. Orihime had been dreaming for days the same dream…" Ichigo cut in.

"Wait what dream? How does that have anything to do with _this_," he pointed to Ulquiorra who sat far from the two of them and from the fairy-like beings. But Tsubaki was soon enough in his face irritated as ever with the soul reaper. "If you'd shut your trap and let her finish maybe she'd TELL YOU!" Ichigo blinked in surprise. "Sorry…," he mumbled.

"As I was about to say the dream starts like this: Orihime is in a bright white area just lying there suddenly the place slowly becomes a black abyss and just as its to consume every bit of white it stops just around where she laid. Then from the darkness a hand comes forth and just as Orihime is about to grab that hand it turns to ash. She gets up and runs into the darkness leaving the white haven, she runs towards where the hand came from and as she ran she calls to us 'Souten Kishun, I reject.' She repeats this over and over and over and over—and this is what happens in that dream repeatedly over the past weeks of the Winter War. But she could never retrieve that person…" she looks in Ulquiorra's direction and continues. "We follow her desires and we must fulfill them. Sometimes we can't and other times we can. But after someone has already been deceased or already dead," she emphasizes referring to hollows and to Ulquiorra especially "there is just no way. "And we couldn't at first but as the same dream went on and on for days on end we gradually collected the particles in her dream state and rejuvenated the body but it came to, in Hueco Mundo and soon to find out it was Ulquiorra."

"But I thought you said after someone has died you can't reverse, reject, rejuvenate, or whatever it is you do?" Ichigo said frustrated trying to follow the creature and her logic.

"We can't but Orihime's desire to revive Ulquiorra the more it fueled our power to reject. In a sense since we could only revive the soul of that person but without a body to return it to we couldn't do anything. But as Orihime's dreams repeated over time so did the desire grow so unconsciously we were sent to that place in Hueco Mundo and searched for whatever was left of him and the more we rejected the death the more we also rejected the hollow part of him. But he was still not alive. He didn't have a heart so we sort of linked Orihime's with his…"

Both Ichigo and Ulquiorra gasped and sprang to their feet and scared to see what they would do Orihime got up looking helpless.

"Why would you do that? Aren't you supposed to protect her?" Ichigo shouted, enraged.

"As I said," Ayame continued "We only follow the will and desires of Orihime. She _wanted_ us to do that. Unconsciously, I guess you could say."

Ulquiorra was even more surprised than Ichigo. After every hardship he put her through in Hueco Mundo…stealing her away from her life, taking away her spirit, forcing her to witness as her friends suffered, secluding her to that lonesome suffocating cell, with no one but him to see, who further made her feel all the more inferior. So again, why would she _desire_ him to return? "Why would you want that?" both he and Ichigo asked.

Orihime realizing that it might send the wrong "message"—that she had feelings for Ulquiorra—with a flushed face she nervously began to explain why, not that she even knew why. "Um, um its n-not that I _want_ you Ulquiorra. It-it's that maybe I felt sad that when you were alive—um before that you didn't have a good life…." Thinking about what she was saying seemed pretty good as a cover story and went on babbling. "Yeah, yeah thats why I did it," laughing nervously.

"If they're linked in that way, does it put her life in danger if I were to kill him right now?" the soul reaper asked seriously to Ayame but all the while glaring in Ulquiorra's direction.

"We don't fully understand the boundaries of this link between the two, yet. But we do know that if either of them experiences a strain on their bodies the other will feel it. Well maybe now that I think about it I think it will but both their lives in danger. But if it's anything minor then fatal I don't think the other will feel it. Orihime I'd bet your heart has been racing quite a bit, hasn't it?"

"N-NO IT HASN'T!"

"It should be racing pretty high right now, I wonder." Flying over to Ulquiorra's side along with Lily they did a very brief quick check up on Ulquiorra's heart beat since they knew he wouldn't answer their question. "Wow! Its beating pretty high and you're not even breaking a sweat huh? How do you put up with it, with a straight face like that?"

Lily interjected "I could be that he just hasn't gotten used to his heart that he doesn't notice it yet."

Ulquiorra wished she hadn't said anything on that fact because he didn't notice it under she pointed it out and now he could feel it fluttering and hammering. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable and built up his front again showing no notice to it.

"I still don't understand it all too well…now the question is how did you get back from Hueco Mundo if you supposedly have no more power?" Ichigo questioned Ulquiorra putting him on the spot. But Ulquiorra now even more confused, didn't realize that fact either. If his body had awoken in Hueco Mundo how did he get back?

Orihime spoke to this, "Well maybe before his power completely disappeared, he had enough to come back."

"Even if he did have enough to get back on just a bit of reitsu a Menos Grande can just barely open one if it was powerful enough. But that's not what I meant by 'how did he get back' but how is it that he came back if he woke up here just as confused about it as we are? What was it sleepwalking? Gimme a break!"

Not knowing how to answer this, Orihime looked in Ulquiorra's silent direction hoping he had some recollection of how it was that he got himself to the World of the Living. But could only looking back in her eyes with an empty expression, and through that farce she could see how lost and confused he was.

The lump in his chest that beat ever so lightly now, weighed heavy on him. He did not like feeling answerless and powerless…

He finally spoke "So Orihime this is how you must have felt when you were taken hostage," pausing only to walk to Orihime's side "feeling powerless, inferior to others around you. Speechless to the circumstances because you didn't have a say to what was done to you. But unlike you I had nothing to lose, so I still don't understand your reasoning. But feeling inferior and having no say in the matter is something we shared in common at this point," his monotone never subsided his character as a hollow nor as a human.

Orihime eyes widened to the realization that she unknowingly done what he did to her, now was being done to him. She took from the life he knew and now he felt just as powerless as she did back in the white cell… But she gave him life a life he could find happiness and know what it is to have true friends and to have relationships and bonds with. "No because this is a better situation. Because now you can experience the joys of life. A better life than the one you and as a hollow and maybe even before that," she said with a gentle smile. "Although I don't know what to say about your powers being gone, but maybe they're all gone. You could see Ichigo when he stepped out of his physical body right? Maybe they're just dormant inside you."

"Although is it true that I could see Kurosaki outside his body, I do not feel the presence of _Murcielago_ anywhere within my being. But as I've seen before" remembering back on the day he came to this town, and saw Tatsuki who could see them, "that even average humans can see that sort of thing."

Orihime felt sort of bad about him losing his powers but at the same time she felt happy he didn't have those horrifying abilities and appearance as he did in his _Segunda Etapa_ phase. But maybe, _Murcielago_ was probably the closest being he would call a friend. Or at least someone who related to him in more ways than one and now they were gone. Now she felt even more responsible for his discomfort and lonesome disposition. Behind her she could hear Tsubaki arguing with Ichigo over what was to be done about Ulquiorra. To kill Ulquiorra or not.

"Maybe we can find a way to separate them from their so called 'link' somehow?" Ichigo asked partly only to himself, rubbing his chin as if he was concentrating very hard.

Orihime worried about them killing Ulquiorra looked at Ulquiorra with desperation that he would stay here and live as a human, to live. But before he could say anything of his decision Tsubaki and Ayame intervene.

"Well we can't let Ulquiorra run wild anymore. Who knows what crazy things he might do to his body that will harm Orihime," Ayame declared.

"But he seemed very keen to take his own life before. Trying to jump off an abandoned building, really…?" Tsubaki stated.

Ulquiorra turned to the spunky fairy-being "How would you that I did such a thing?"

"Well now that you're partly connected to Orihime we can tell where you are just like we can with Orihime. But don't get the wrong ideas we still only go by her orders and no one else's, got that punk?" Tsubaki said with a flare before return to Orihime's hair clips.

"Well I think it's time for us to return, Orihime, Ulquiorra. If we have anything notable to tell you about this, we'll let you know. Goodnight," Ayame said before her and the others disappeared leaving them silent momentarily before Ichigo spoke.

"Well you heard fairy-man! We have no choice but to keep you alive…for her sake. But now where to put you, since you can't stay here—"

"And why can't I stay here?" Ulquiorra said feeling even more irritated after being told he had to stay alive for someone else's sake. No word and no say in the matter, just like Orihime before…

"You over stayed your welcome here with her. And it isn't right for a girl to live with a man, especially when that man is you! Or should I even call you that?"

"I am male and I always have been. And since she is the one who brought me here, I believe its her responsibility and be held accountable for her actions."

They both turned to her, who had a confused wide eyed puckered lip expression as if trying her hardest to follow their conversation but failed miserably. "Uh, Ichigo he can stay here if he'd like. It's not a big deal. It can be like a sleepover!" she cheerfully pointed, all the while Ichigo frustrated by her thickness to the situation rubbed the bridge of his nose then looked up to Ulquiorra and said "Fine! But you have to follow these rules. Number one: change inside the bathroom when you're finished with your bath. Number two: You sleep on the couch and you are not to go into Orihime's room. And number three: Be respectful and considerate to Orihime's home while you are here."

Ulquiorra said nothing to this but his stomach had something else on its mind as it growled loudly. Hearing this Orihime gasped and ran to the kitchen "Oh I'm so sorry you must be hungry, being as you haven't eaten since um yesterday morning was it? Oh I have an extra futon so you don't have to sleep on the couch—it's pretty small so it might be uncomfortable. Oh and Ichigo would you like to stay for supper?" she asked as she raided her fridge taking out all sorts of ingredients that didn't seem to make a good or even smart combination. Shuddering at the thought of Orihime's cooking Ichigo refused the offer and was on his way in hast before she insisted any further. But she didn't instead she asked him for a favor as she showed him to the door "Wait Ichigo could you maybe lend Ulquiorra some clothes? See I'm running out of my brother's clothes to give him since I donated most of them since I didn't have much space for them here."

"Uh, guess I have no other choice. But he needs to get his own underwear. I am not sharing those."

"Eeep! Oh ah its alright we'll go into town tomorrow and buy some new ones, ahahaha…" she said with a flustered goofy smile.

Meanwhile, Ulquiorra could feel her discomfort feeling as his heart fluttered rapidly as he sat on the kitchen table feeling light-headed from the lack of sleep and food, not to mention all that he to take in today. And thought to himself, _Why is she getting over excited over trivial matters? Or is it because _he _was the one mentioning it? _He wondered but soon let it pass as the hunger and sleep took its toll leaving him feel the fatigue come to him all at once. His eyes and limbs became heavy and he could no longer fight his tiring body he slowly drifted in and out of sleep from what felt like hour to hour but actually only seconds.

In the distance he could hear Orihime speaking in a low voice as if she did not want what she was about to say be heard by Ulquiorra "Ichigo I was wondering do you think _they_ might get involved in this?" sounding nervously distressed.

"Who knows? But being as he was involved with _him_ and his alliance and being as he was a hollow. I think its safe to say that if they're not thinking or aware of it now they will be and that means trouble for you Orihime. They already thought you were a traitor once and know you brought back someone who was an enemy not to mention dead back to life. They might see your power unnatural and a threat. So for now I think it's best to keep this in the dark for the time being I'll let Uryu and Chad know about the situation and we'll see wha…."

Ulquiorra could no longer hear their voices as he drifted to sleep exhausted by everything that was said today but as he submitted to his exhaustion he thought silently as he laid his head back, sitting on the chair; _Soul Society hmph….What will you do to keep order…? How far will you go….?_

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:_ Finally got to finish this chapter! Sorry guys, I have demanding courses that I had to take care of first before finishing this chapter.**

**I hoped you all enjoyed it. Its kind of off scale a little bit. Who would have thought huh? ME! ^^**

**Its going to be a little challenging to write the next episodes to come since Orihime is always gets overly excited over everything and now seeing as Ulquiorra could feel how that makes her body feel [in terms of her heart] -pervs what are you thinkin? I know what I'm thinkin of doing with this! MUAHAHAHA! **

**And now of course Soul Society is goin to stick their big noses in their business to keep "Order" What are they going to do about UlquiHime situation! **

**[ I love you Murcielago! I am sooo Tatting you on my bod. *-* ]**


	7. Suffocation

They walked the streets of Karakura town with department store clothing bags in each of their hands, making their way to the apartment. "Phew, I'm beat! But wasn't that fun, Ulquiorra?" Orihime said smiling, "Oh and I'm sorry about this morning for leaving you, but I can't afford to miss school any more especially during the middle of the semester." Ulquiorra said nothing to this, he wasn't in the least bit bothered to be left alone, in fact he preferred it that way but during the time Orihime was in school he felt his new heart fluttering time after time and he spent most of the day trying to control the beating in his chest that seemed to never subside. It goes without saying sharing this woman's heart is no walk in the park for someone who is new to having one. But as for their little adventure today at the mall was not something he'd call fun in the slightest. The moment they got to the department store or even so before when they were even in the train everybody who saw Ulquiorra stared: some in awe and some in utter suspicion.

Those who stared in awe were mostly girls giggling and whispering about how attractive his mysterious allure and reserved demeanor was, probably gossiping about his possible being a foreigner, especially because of his eyes! "Wow he is so good looking! And did you see his eyes? Kyaaa! So cool," one girl said in the train on their way to the mall. A sales clerk in one of the many clothing stores said to another employee "Kyaa! Is he a model or an actor? Maybe he's half European or something…he is so handsome. Maybe I should ask him for his number?"

Ulquiorra didn't care in the slightest what these women thought of him. Orihime had her fun playing dress up with him as she made him try on different clothes trying to find his right style but what suited him most were dark colors; black, grey, brown, blue. The only other non-dark colors that suited him were red, white, and tan. And almost no patterns suited either. Which annoyed her to no end, she wanted to buy him flashy colors! She was tired of the same colors, get him used to more "human" colors, so to speak.

Orihime had noticed the gossiping but pretended to have not noticed because even though it bothered her that so many girls looked at Ulquiorra in that way—almost love struck way. She wasn't going to let him know that and she wouldn't know how to explain her reaction to this even if he did notice, which she was certain he did being as every time a girl would try to approach him, it gave her heart a little tug but in the moment that happened she would brush it off with the excuse of it being the cause of clothes _"Oh Ulquiorra look at these clothes! Wouldn't they look nice on you!_" all the while trying to pull him away from the incoming girls. She didn't understand it. _"Why am I so annoyed that these girls want to be closer to him?"_ she'd question herself, _"I should encourage this, it'd be a great experience for him to go out on dates, to be more normal. But it's too soon for that. Besides it's probably a maternal feeling that I'm getting. I love Ichigo anyway!"_ convincing herself that her actions were justified by her supposed "maternal" instincts. She brushed these recalled thoughts aside and sighed as they walked towards the new Italian restaurant they had just opened up.

"Well instead of cooking tonight, let's go out to eat, huh? What do you say?" Ulquiorra looked to the woman and said "It doesn't matter all human food is disgusting!"

Orihime gasped "What do mean 'disgusting' you mean, you don't enjoy my cooking?" Ulquiorra looked at her as he analyzed her reaction to his comment, she was upset and insulted but he didn't see how it was his problem "No I don't it's the most revolting sustenance I ever tasted." But at the end of his words he felt the throbbing in his chest accelerate and now he regretted ever saying anything. Nothing was more annoying to him then this feeling. "Ulquiorra you're a jerk!" she shouted at him and walked further away from him trying to put distance between them. But the beating only worsened, it felt as if it was going to erupt from the inside of his chest!

"Will you learn to control that wretched heart of yours it feel horrible!" Ulquiorra's patience was wearing thin. He was practically shouting at this point as he staggered forward trying with all his might not to give in to the urge to pant in fatigue, to show weakness. They didn't eat lunch because Orihime wanted to shop until the mall closed and since it was a school night they only had about three to four hours till closing. And the breakfast Orihime left for Ulquiorra to eat before she left…well he didn't want to be stuck on the crapper all day so he didn't bother to even give it the slightest glance. "Can't you stop this incessant beating!" he said, his voice dangerously close to screaming; his patience was thinning by the second.

Orihime took offense to this which gave her heart a harder kick, "Well you didn't have to be so rude!" it raced faster [_Bum-bum-Bum-bum-Bum-bum_]. "If you don't like my cooking, cook for yourself next time!"

[_Panting, panting, panting_]

"I work very hard to prepare the foods I make for you. So the least you could do is show some RESPECT!"

[_Panting_] [_Bum-bum-Bum-bum-Bum-bum_] [_Panting, panting, panting_]

He was hyperventilating and could no longer stand properly on his own, he had to prop himself against a nearby post. His vision was blurred and his composure was shot. All he could think and wish at that moment was for that incompetent woman to control her emotions. He wished for nothing more than to be rid of that woman's "heart-sync."

"Ulquiorra?" she had not noticed he was no longer following behind her for some time but once she turned she could see him lying on the ground with his back to the sky. "Ulquiorra! Oh my gosh are you ok?" she shouted as she ran toward to the body and was just about to put up her healing barrier but people had begun to crowd around them whispering in curiosity. She knelt to his side trying to turn his head to rest on her lap and when she saw his face she came to the realization that it was her doing. It was her fault. He wasn't used to his human body reactions or 'her' to 'his' to be exact. Like everything new and gentle, it has to be broken in to slowly or otherwise too much at once can cause damage.

His face was flushed in a high fever and drenched in sweat and even in his unconscious state he was still panting profusely. She was beginning to panic… [_Bum-bum Bum-bum_] she couldn't help him relieve the fever without using her powers and with all the people gathering around them…

"Is he alright? Should we call an ambulance?" ….

"What's going on? Is that young man going to be OK?"

The only way to help him was to lower _her_ heart rate but the more desperate she was to slow it down the faster it got… "Stop it…" [_Bum-bum-Bum-bum!_] "Stop it…" [_Bum-bum-Bum-bum!_] nothing she could say or do was helping. His breathing was quickening, his face burned, and at this rate she knew his body was going to go into cardiac arrest…faster and faster, faster [_Bum-bum-Bum-bum-Bum-bum_!]

"STO—"

"Orihime." She heard a strange but familiar voice say in a calm composed tone as a hand rested on her shoulder. Just as the hand laid its weight she was beginning to lose consciousness. "Everything's going to be fine ladies and gentleman. This is my son and his girlfriend. It happens all the time. Please do not concern yourselves I'll be taking them home. Tessai, if you would," the man said and just as she beginning to lose her vision she slowly turned her torso to where a tall man in clogs and stripped hat was standing. "Mr. Ura…hara…"

[The following morning…]

"Don't worry about him, Tessai will tend to him," Ulquiorra heard a man say as he was coming to. "You go on to school but I will ask you to try to control your emotions from taking over again. If you let your heart rate take a sprint like it did yesterday he'll probably have a heart attack this time. Remember he's just beginning to adjusting to his body alone and to have emotions and a heart…well it can take its toll. You understand right?" "Yes," he heard the woman say. The man continued "Well off you go!" the seriousness in his tone was gone and was replaced by an upbeat one "Remember come straight after school and bring Ichigo while you're at it. Now go on, go on, you're going to be late." "Alright then, I'll be going then," Orihime didn't sound like her usual self as he heard a door close and another open.

"Well your awake, are you?" Urahara said as he looked to the futon where Ulquiorra laid all the while looking up at him. "Urahara Kisuke," his monotone and composure was as impenetrable as it was before the ordeal from yesterday. He sat up dressed in a white yukata, he didn't bother to ask who it was that dressed him. "I knew you'd be awake shortly after Orihime. This is quite an usual…." Urahara paused trying to think of the right word "_condition_, you guys have."

"It's repugnant and uncalled for. I don't think I can handle another day of this," he said irritated as he stood there staring off Urahara recalling the unseeingly event that took place yesterday evening. "That woman has no self-restraint when it comes to her emotions." He couldn't see the man's face clearly under that hat of his but he could tell he was intrigued by their "condition."

"It may not be pleasant for you now but Orihime did risk a lot by reviving you. You should be thanking her," Ulquiorra could hear the partial sarcasm in Urahara's voice. "Soul Society is not someone to become enemy with, now are they?" Urahara continued with the seriousness he had when addressing Orihime just moments ago. "Soul Society as you know from your own experience and encounters, they do not take lightly to tampering with the balance they deem just. And what Orihime did—whether she did it knowingly or not—is against that balance. And I don't think they'll make any exceptions. Even for her. But if you don't like having this connection to Orihime I could try and break the bond. But it will be difficult and practically dangers to the both of your bodies. Orihime has agreed to this. You should have seen her face last night she agonized over your well-being."

Ulquiorra felt a sudden relief to hear such words. Relief to be rid of their bond but… "It doesn't matter if we do it or not. Either way I am powerless even if I refused and was out voted. I wouldn't be able to defend myself. If it will be the same as it were, only to be separated at 'heart' is meaningless." Ulquiorra walked to a corner of the room were his clothes from the previous day were laid out and begun to undress despite Urahara standing there… "What are you doing? Ah you know there is a lady in this house!" Urahara shouted dramatically poking his head out the door looking left and right. He sighed tiredly in relief "Ugh! You know you really need to get some manners on how to be a gentlemen," there was another sigh after Ulquiorra had finished dressing and just as he was about to walk out the bedroom door Urahara stepped in front of the door frame, blocking his way. Ulquiorra did and said nothing to question his actions and waited their patiently.

"So are you saying it'd be pointless to separate your bond with Orihime because you have to no power? Is that what you're saying?" the breaded man said sounded deadly serious. "Or is it because you want to fight? Or because you have no reason to fight?" questioning as he removed himself from his path and waited for him to make the choice.

Ulquiorra looked to the mans over-shadowed face to what seemed to be deep thought and just as it seemed he had an resolution he mentally brushed it off and continued onward "It doesn't matter anymore."

There was an almost tangible aura of intense silence, as Ulquiorra walked towards the visible exit to the front of the shop; he took every step with caution. He knew the limits of his hollow body but his human body was all new to him. It had only been a few days since his reborn and already he could feel the difference and with the woman's heart to boot. He didn't want to remain fragile and vulnerable. If were to continue living his human existence he wanted to do it with a purpose and with his own limits. He felt like he was no longer the yielder of his own skin and in truth he did want the power to fight again.

He reached the front door, slipped on his shoes and walked out the door stopping only momentarily to speak knowing Urahara was now standing only a few feet behind him, "I will return in a few hours notify that woman and soul reaper that if I am not back before they return to do whatever they wish. Whether or not to go on with the procedure, that is. Let them make the decision," and walked on.

"You have a choice now you know? And Orihime is giving you a choice. This procedure could cause her more harm than good yet still she has kept you in her graces to make the choice." Ulquiorra never stopped but he had heard him but still it made no difference, because it wouldn't give him what he deeply wanted most to make this "stay" a lot more comforting and that was the only other being that understood or rather related to his nihilistic beliefs. Now it was gone, never to return. And that being was _Murcielago_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry this chapter doesn't really have much context and that is because I've been working on some FanArt Of Ulquiorra and someone else..which whom I am not revealing yet. But I will say it relates to the story and will put a link to share with my readers when the time comes. It was inspired by a manga that I love hehehe! Hopefully i will be forgiven for my long absence of updating. Also I had an EXTREME case of writers block T_T**


	8. Submission

(Back at Urahara's shop, later that same day)

"Tessai, did you make the preparations for our new friend?" smirked the mad hatter as he watched all three of the teens from the door way, walking towards his shop at the end of the empty lot.

"Yes but we don't even know if he even wants to go through with it," said the dark skinned man as he placed a small object in his hand.

"I have a feeling he's about to be persuaded to go through with the procedure and then some…" grinning in a mildly sinister fashion as he tucked the object under the folds of his robes. He had something else in store for the has-been-hollow.

"All he needs is a little push…"

Ulquiorra walked just behind Ichigo and Orihime, trying to put some distance between them. They had met up by chance just as he came back from the direction of the girl's apartment that he entered with the use of the duplicate key she had made him. He went back only to shower and cook himself something to eat, he had quickly learned how to whip up some fried eggs and toast through the cooking channel while Orihime was in school the other day. And for the remainder of the day he spent it in the crater at the park where he had been found trying to detect any of his reitsu, but nothing came. Only remembering the darkness from those (or what seemed to be) few moments of death he experienced and then soon after warmth and light.

She hadn't said a word to him since they met up, her face was an open book to him. He could see she was sorry and embarrassed for yesterday's episode clutching to the silver bracelet she wore on her left wrist. The bracelet he gave her the day he took her to Hueco Mundo. "_Why would she have kept it?" _he thought as he recalling noticing since he awoke in this life. 

Her face was pale, her eyes slightly puffy and red from crying, and every so often from the corner of his eye he could see her looking at him with an apologetic expression for a brief second and then realizing herself doing this she'd bring herself to attention. He had been feeling the rise and fall of his heart rate throughout the day since that morning. He could feel she had been trying to sustain a regular heart rate all morning, but so far nothing worth suffocating over. He felt inferior to her now. He was now under her command…she held his heart in her hands [or hers as it were].

In truth, he wanted to go on with whatever it was that Kisuke Urahara had in mind; to separate the bond but he felt unexpectedly indebted to her. He felt she had the right to take away his newly given life, to _be_ commanded…just as she was in his not too long ago. But he would never admit to such a loathsome feeling.

As they approached the front door of the small shabby looking shop Ichigo sighed in confusion, "Hey, Kisuke! So what did you want to talk about that I had to be here?" huffed the Soul Reaper in frustration with having to take time out of his day to come here. "I thought you were going to separate these two already?"

From the shadows of the door he stepped out into the light with his hands to his back and stopped just as the stood a few meters away from him. "Well as it so happens Mr. Schiffer says for Orihime to decide what to be done with him," murmuring coyly as to provoke a reaction from either one of them or all. Orihime was the first to surface with a reaction that seemed to entice the shop owner.

She turned to face Ulquiorra fury swept across her face "What do you mean, 'what to do with you'? Do you believe that I would want to dispose of you? Do you believe that I see you as a nuisance?" she bellowed in anger and felt hurt all at once, that he believed her to be that sort of person.

Ulquiorra sighed to this and looked down into her eyes and he could see she was getting the wrong impression, "It is not as you make it to be. I believe since you are the one who gave me this life, I believe it is within your right to do with it what you may," he calmly proclaimed, side stepping trying to counterbalance the reaction of his heart he was receiving on her part. "True I may be in an unfortunately uncomfortable disposition," Orihime gasped in realization that she let her emotions get the better of her once again and tried to regain some composure, "but I believe in a situation such as this I'm merely at your disposal."

"I don't need a servant. I don't need a slave. I don't need anything from you! I gave you this life for your own pleasure; you do with it what you may but don't you dare waste it!" Ulquiorra side glanced towards her but her gaze was far from comprehension and reason. His words meant nothing to her if he did not correspond to what she wanted to hear him say; _"I live for myself."_

But to him that was easier said than done. When an animal that is taken out of it's element and placed into a new one, they need to be caged because they can no longer survive on their own; in short Ulquiorra wanted, no, _needed_ a master to serve.

"Adapt."

"….?" Ulquiorra looked to Urahara questioningly waiting for what else he had to say.

"Since your Arrancar life you served a master. You no longer know how to live for yourself. You believe you need a master, and that is the true reason you don't want to go on with the plan because you don't want to relinquish that 'master, servant' bond because you don't know how to live any other way, am I right?" his arms still to his back only thing visible is his cane swinging from between his legs. He smiled as he analyzed Ulquiorra's face that never seemed to falter.

"Perhaps that could be," he said solemnly.

"Hmm, well darn, I thought I had you all figured out," he smirked cunningly. "But the thing about humans is that they learn, in due time, to adapt to their new surroundings and life styles."

"CUT THE CRAP ALREADY!" Ichigo shouted as he ran towards Urahara and gripped him by his robe. "Are you gonna do this or not? Because the minute he's separated I'm going to—"

"Ichigo! Stop this, everyone!" screeched the woman as tear welled up in her stormy grey eyes. "Ulquiorra," she looked up towards him, into his wildly green eyes "I want you to live for _you_. If you want a reason to live for well then go out there and find it," she said sobbingly as she continued "I don't need a servant but I could always use another friend!"

Orihime continued to stare full-heartedly into Ulquiorra's eyes, and although he could feel how she poured her heart out to him that made her heart sprint, this felt somewhat different. It felt warm, a sort of warmth he felt somewhere before, in that darkness perhaps? His stomach felt knotted and fluttery all at the same time. It was a surprisingly…pleasant feeling to him.

Ulquiorra never retreated his attention from her or this feeling but looked towards Urahara and murmured "Let's just get this over with."

He smiled in response and in a blink of an eye he had flash-stepped to Ulquiorra, taking him a back as he softly gasped in surprise.

"Well I finally got a reaction from you, my friend," he laughed as he pulled something out his pocket and shoved it into Ulquiorra's mouth in a flash, swallowing it from shock.

Only a few seconds passed and he fell cringing and grasped his stomach "What did you give me?" Urahara said nothing. His heart-rate raced furiously and as if on response to this Orihime also fell to her knees clutching at her chest, panting heavily.

"Orihime!" Ichigo called out as he went to her side. "What did you do? I thought you knew the situation of these two clearly. You can't hurt one while hurting the other!"

Orihime had never felt the reaction of the bond from Ulquiorra's part because it was always her who ignited the reactions. It was suffocating and beyond "uncomfortable" as Ulquiorra had put it. That wasn't even beginning to describe how she felt at that moment. _"This horrible feeling...I feel as though my heart is being forced against my will. I hate it. Ulquiorra, is this how you've been feeling? Like a puppet being pulled by the strings I controlled?" _she thought as she experienced what he had been experiencing all this time. _"I'm so sorry! I had no idea it was this horrible for you to endure. I never meant for it to be like this for you!"_

Ulquiorra looked up to Urahara and strained himself to ask "Why?" The hatted man said nothing only looking down on him as he watched Ulquiorra's breathing beginning to accelerate higher and higher to unhealthy lengths. He was beginning to hyperventilate as he did the day before but it felt worse. Yesterday it felt like his heart was being forced to beat but now it feels as though it was being ripped out of his chest. He opened his eyes to look for Orihime who was just a foot or two away from him. Her face was flushed her breathing was quickening as his was. His eyes never left her chest as he watched it rise and fall in an almost unnatural way. And just as the beating began to decline slowly he saw her breathing was evening out, slowly as his was. Was the pain over? He felt relieved that it was slowing down and continued to watch her parted lips as the air slowly went in and her breathing deepened. He continued to lay there as his heart-rate regulated and tore his eyes away from his counterpart and looked up to Urahara who stood their silently watching Orihime.

"Well it looks like she's in the safe zone," he said solely as he crutched down to Ulquiorra's side and looked into his heavy green eyes, "But I can't say the same for you." And the second he spoke, it started.

Ulquiorra gasped deeply, as though all the air in his lungs had vanished. He rolled his eyes to look for Orihime who looked to be dead? She wasn't moving, but as he strained himself to look closely he could see the deep even breathes she was taking; she wasn't mirroring his reactions anymore. They were no longer linked. And for that brief moment he was relieved she was safe but he also felt empty. He could no longer feel that warmth he felt comforting anymore.

And just as he came to acknowledge this he felt something like a _Snip_-like sound in his chest. The gasping seized, the beating in his chest slowly began to take longer pauses in between each beat.

_Am I to die again? To return to that dark abyss. Alone? _He tried to recall that feeling he had felt comforting but could not reach into his memory how it felt. The beating was fading sounding further and further away.

He felt his eyes beginning to slowly flutter to a close. And as he slowly opened them once more he saw Orihime struggle against Ichigo trying to free herself from his arms. Reaching towards Ulquiorra's arm that stretched out limply on the ground in her direction. Tears ran profusely down her cheeks and dripped to his outstretched hand. The tears, felt as warm as they fell and touch his cold skin and as they did questions stormed in his mind.

_Why is she crying? Is she worried for me? Will she feel sorrow, if I were to leave this world once again? It doesn't matter. But…Her hand, her warmth is very comforting and pleasant. _He thought as he lost consciousness and the faint beating halted altogether as his eyes slowly closed.

"Don't you dare die on me! ULQUIORRA!" Orihime screamed in agony as she cradled his face in her hands and watched as his eyes closed for the last time. "DON'T LEAVE! ULQUIORRA!" her tears rained down from her stormy eyes and splashed onto his face and ran down his neck. She laid his head on the ground as she was preparing to call forth her power but Urahara called to her before she could.

"It's not going to work. His dead, Orihime," Orihime looked to him in agony as she was trying to figure out why he did such a thing. "Why?" she mumbled behind the tears that never seized. "Why did you kill him? I thought you were going to help him…"

"I said I would help separate the link but I never said there wasn't going to be complications," he said in a tone that felt as emotionless as it sounded.

"That's right you _didn't_!" Ichigo yelled out from behind where Orihime sat.

"I knew it wasn't going to kill Orihime but I wasn't so sure about him, being as he had no heart in the first place."

Ichigo looked confused "What do you mean? What does that have to do with anything?"

"I mean just that." From the folds of his robe he conjured something like a pill and flashed it in their direction. "The moment I fed him this reitsu pill, it severed the link between the two without harming the donor. You see, the link they had was all benefactor to one another, not only was Ulquiorra able to live by Orihime's heart, he was also feeding off small doses of her spiritual pressure as well. And when I fed him the reitsu pill it gave him his own reitsu as well as severing the link. But his body rejected both changes."

Ichigo looked at him confused and frustrated, his patience was wearing thin, "In short?"

Urahara sighed "In short, the same heart needs the same reitsu. Different reitsu means no more ties to the host's heart, and begins to beat on its own along with the different reitsu. But since Ulquiorra never had a heart as a hollow his body didn't know how to sustain one the moment the link was cut off. Get it now?"

Silence fell between the three; the only sounds were the sound of the soft sobs of Orihime and the thunder clouds rolling in and showered over them, being all too fitting for Ulquiorra's death.

…..

Darkness loomed over Ulquiorra as he laid on the cold ground of whatever place it was that he was in. Drops of water came from the never ending dark ceiling landing right on his cheeks and forehead, falling cold and creepily down to his neck forcing him to sit up. "Is this where I'll be spending eternity?" he said into the darkness as he explored it with his eyes. There was nothing to that place but darkness and the water dripping heavily from above. After a few more seconds of looking over the place, his hand shot up to chest feeling for abnormalities. He thought for sure his hollow hole would be there but his hand only felt his bare skin and no heartbeat. As he further looked over his body with his hands he came to realize he now stood naked in the darkness.

He ignored those facts despite his uneasy composure and looked around him once more and felt oddly alone. This wouldn't have fazed him before but now he felt exposed and lonesome. Ulquiorra stiffened as he came to realize that what he was feeling was emotion. Even without a beating heart he was feeling this way, he felt something. He didn't need a heart to _have_ a "heart," the heart that woman spoke fondly about. An attachment to something is _forming_ a heart. _"But what is _my_ attachment?"_ he thought. _"What do I want to protect?"_

He could think of nothing as he tried to recollect something to jump start his memory, but nothing came. He pushed the question to a side for the moment and thought to explore the realm in which he now resides. There were no walls or objects to stand in his way, nothing he could see anyway. He could see nothing.

"Nothing?" a voice echoed around Ulquiorra as he jumped back in a defensive stance.

"Who is there?" commanded Ulquiorra. It sounded vaguely familiar but with the echoes resonance around him he couldn't make it out or even what direction it came from.

"I've been here the entire time," echoed the voice coldly. "But you only see with your eyes. You ignore your other senses completely or I should say you didn't have any before now that is," he chuckled as if recalling a memory of some sort, but there was another sound…

[_Clank-Clink_].

"_A chain. A weapon?" _Ulquiorra thought and remembered he no longer had his sword or power. The rattling of the chain echoed loudly around him. His defensive stance never faltered as he took the chain into account. The rattling simmered down but the voice loomed over him once again "You still don't have a clue of who I might be? You abandoned me here, after your curiosity got the best of you!" the voice hissed angrily. "But I never left you; you only forgot how to call to me. And not only that, but you now no longer care for power!"

"What do you mean? Reveal yourself," Ulquiorra said in a commanding voice.

"You've been staring at me this whole time. And you still don't see me," the voice spat.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes as if to regain focus on his vision but he could still see only darkness and the rattling still came from all directions.

"Your eyes can only do so much alone, and it is because of that habit that you could not see what that woman was speaking of," Ulquiorra stiffened at the mention of Orihime, his mind was now full of images of her and the feeling of that warm, that feeling she had given him…comforting, remembering that warmth compelled him to breathe her name.

"Orihime."

_Bum-bum…_ _Bum-bum_

A light from behind him brought little light to where he stood but enough to make out a silhouette of a winged figure. "So you've attached yourself to someone? How unlike you," the voice was clearer, he now remembered it vividly.

"That voice, you're…" croaked Ulquiorra as his chest weighed heavy on him as the beating quickened.

The voice laughed and coyly he said before Ulquiorra lost consciousness "You've changed, Master."

….

Orihime, Ichigo, and Urahara all sat around the table drinking tea. Orihime only stared blankly into her untouched cup as a tear escaped her puffy red eyes and landed in her tea. Ichigo looked in her direction not knowing who to cheer her up he could only try to console her, "Orihime, please don't cry anymore. It probably just wasn't meant to …." he had begun to say when a heavy semi-dark familiar spiritual pressure erupted from behind the doors where Ulquiorra was laid presumed dead. Orihime shot up from the table and ran past Ichigo and Urahara who stood only after Orihime did.

She forcefully slid open the doors to see Ulquiorra laid out on the futon coughing and gasping for air.

"Shouten—"

"No, Orihime. He has to learn to do it on his own," Urahara said after stopping Orihime who was trying to help him to breathe. Urahara smiled mildly to Orihime who looked at him with fear that she might lose Ulquiorra for a third time bringing fresh tears to her eyes, "Have faith that he could do this himself. He came back because he realized what he attached himself to." Urahara continued to smile but Orihime didn't understand but looked to Ulquiorra and knelt on his bedside grabbing hold of the hand that lay twitching with every cough.

"Ulquiorra, focus on my voice," trying to guide him through it. Urahara didn't say she couldn't do that. "Control your breathing; breathe in and out slowly," she called out as she clutched supportively to his hand.

Ulquiorra's lungs were on fire, yearning to take in some oxygen to fill them up. "You can do it, Ulquiorra. Don't fight against it, let it flow," he heard Orihime coaching him. He slowly parted his lips and opened up his wind pipe and let the air flow in as he inhaled deeply.

"That's it, now exhale slowly," coaching him from the side lines. He followed her coaching for the past half hour, or for what it seemed like. Inhale and exhale through the mouth and shortly after inhale through the nose exhale through pursed lips. Until he was able to breathe through the nose alone.

Orihime no longer needed to coach him but stayed beside him and watched him sleep for what seemed to be hours, forgetting all about time as she gazed down on his sleeping face watching the rise and fall of his chest. Listening to the sound of his low deep breathing and every so often she'd rest her hand on his chest to feel for sure that he was alive. She'd brush the hair out of face and gazed silently taking note that she had never realized his eyelashes were so long. And when push came to shove she slipped into his futon and fell asleep on his chest listening to the soft rhythm of his heart. And latched herself like a leech to him to make sure he wouldn't disappear by morning. But Ulquiorra didn't wake up the following morning. He spent for four whole days.

"Mr. Urahara?" Orihime called out as she entered the shop after returning from her part-time job at the nearby bakery, just as she has been for the past week.

"Yes, Orihime come on back," called out the shop keeper from beyond the shop doors. "I'm in his room!"

She made her way as she kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the wooden floors and ran to the room with the open doors she had been visiting daily since that day. Finding Ulquiorra still lying on the futon he had been on all week only lately he's been hooked up to medical machines; IV's, heart-rate monitors, and even an oxygen mask to strengthen his heart. "How is he?" she asked hopeful that he'd report any changes.

He sighed "No nothing. But its strange…"

"What is? Is he alright?"

"Yes, yes his fine. But I was wondering why that day he emanated strong spiritual pressure, and now there isn't a trace of it," he said thoughtfully as he looked into his face.

"The day I found him, it was just the same," she began "A large amount of spirit energy showed up and when I went to check it was gone. Not a trace of it was left…Do you think its possible that he…?"

"Yes he possibly still has power deep within him, dormant," he said looking far away trying to piece together the mystery.

"By the way," snapping himself back to reality "did you get the transfer papers from your school that I requested?"

Orihime smiled happily and reached for her bags and pulled out a stack of paper "Yup!" she cheered as she handed the papers to him "I filled out the basic information as you asked me to, all you have to do is sign. And I just submitted the Family Registry to the City Hall. But are you sure it was alright to put you down as his legal guardian?"

"Hmm, what?" he said as he looked over the documents "Oh yes! I always wanted a son," he said joyfully chuckling like a doting father. "I always wanted to take a bath with my son, Shinji doesn't let me," pouting at the thought. "And you left his surname as is, correct?"

"Oh yes! Just like you told me."

"Good. I would expect he wouldn't want it any other way. Oh, right he is registered for residency with me, but would it be alright if he continues to stay with you? I'm afraid to many Soul Reapers frequent my shop and if they should find this guy" pointing to Ulquiorra "all hell is going to break loose."

Orihime blush at the thought but didn't hesitate but answered nervously "Of-of course. Rukia hasn't dropped by in a while…" briefly losing herself in her train of thought.

"Yes well, it's just a matter of time before they find out about this. Right now Yoruichi is informing me from Soul Society secretly on the situation, but so far they are still in the dark," he continued "But let me ask you something," he looked her in the eyes hard and serious "If they find out about him (and they will) sooner or later, will you defend him?"

Orihime stiffened as she pondered over his question but she then smiled and said earnestly "Of course, I will."

"Why?" his seriousness never wavering "Why risk so much for him? He once took away your freedom, your happiness."

Although this question came to her more often than not; back then and now, why. She could not respond because she couldn't give a good enough answer.

"I didn't bother to ask any questions when I heard of your predicament from Ichigo. And I don't intend to judge or to accuse you of anything, but I am risking a lot to help you out (even though it is fun to mess with Soul Society). But just answer my one question and I'll continue to help you and him…Why risk it?"

Her facial features screamed "I Don't Know," her brows scrunched on the bridge of her nose, her eyes searched for the answer, her lips quivered in fear of saying the wrong answer. _"Why did I?"_ she asked herself. But as she was about to lose her barring, she remembered back in Hueco Mundo as he was dying after his epic battle with Ichigo. His hand that extended towards her in threat, as he asked "Do I frighten you, woman?"

She thought it over many of times but as she looked down to Ulquiorra before her she said "Because whether or not he knows it, in his final moments in Hueco Mundo he reached out to me and asked me if he frighten me," Urahara looked to her curiously as she continued. "I told him I wasn't afraid and still his hand didn't fall. And just as his body turned to ash I reached out to him, the moment our hands touched it disappeared from under me. As the rest of his body turned to ash for I split second he looked sad to leave this world. And I believe he reached out to me because he wanted to live. And I may be naïve to think that way but if someone is reaching for help I'm going to do what I can. And that's a good enough reason for me."

Urahara looked deep in her eyes analyzing her intensity, she stared back at him with all seriousness lasting for a few seconds more when smiled and said "Well that's good enough for me!" chuckling and walked out of the room. Orihime stared in confusion for short second when a hand grabbed her ankle. She jumped and squeaked in surprise before realizing it was Ulquiorra who had awakened at long last.

"Ulquiorra!" she called out happily, kneeing as she said it. "How are you feeling?"

Ulquiorra's eyes fluttered and squinted to the light above him but answered as he removed the oxygen mask and breathing tubes from his face. "My body feels heavy and stiff," he said as he sat himself up, Orihime holding out her arms as if ready to catch him if he should fall. "How long was I asleep?" He looked up at Orihime whose arms where still hanging there smiling tears filling her eyes as she stared into his eyes, relieved and happy that he finally a woken.

She whipped away most of the residing tears on her sleeve smiled and said "Too long," as she threw herself into his chest. He sighed allowing himself to be held by her, then stiffening as he recalled what happened in that dark place, _"Why did I see _her_ face?"_ then remembered the voice that came before that, and forgot about the rest.

Ulquiorra softly peeled the girl off him and looked around over the top of Orihime's head for the shop keeper but only to find themselves to be alone. He looked down to the girl before him, her face flushed and her eyes wide with happiness as she stared back into his eyes.

"I need to speak with Urahara. Where is he?" he declared bluntly. His green eyes with all seriousness had an urgent look about them that Orihime has never witnessed before. His emotionless façade, that she's known never to have faltered before now, was barely intact.


	9. Attraction

It's was just a few days ago that Ulquiorra had finally awoke from his coma-like state, and now he was being forced to the place humans go for most of their miserable lives, school—as the loony shop keeper would say it would help him "blend in." But he particularly didn't mind doing this being as he had nothing to do for the time being; Urahara had him under strict orders not to be left alone and Orihime did just that. For the past few days she was always hanging around him like a pest, the only time he had time to be left alone was when he went to the rest room, but you could be sure that Orihime was just outside those very doors.

"Woman," he had said to her as he came out, "I understand that you behaving this way are only under Urahara's orders to keep me out of sight from Soul Society but you don't have to be so thorough."

Pink splashed across her face as she grunted, "You can never be too careful!" clutching the bracelet that swayed upon her wrist. He stared at her and down to it, which she seemed to notice as her eyes went wide to this realization; she quickly pulled the sleeves of her school jacket over the bracelet and walked away as she did. "Well…It's almost time for your first day of school Ulquiorra!" she said cheerfully skipping towards the front door waving him forward. "Come on! Hurry and change into the clothes I laid out for you in the bedroom. You don't wanna be late."

"I'll be right out then," he called back rather softly, walking towards Orihime's bedroom door.

"Kay! I'll wait down stairs!" She closed the door behind her, he sighed rather relieved that he had a moment actually left completely alone. Again, he thought back to when he had awoken from his surreal dream with Murcielago and what he had said to him. Orihime had not known this, both Ulquiorra and Urahara thought it best to leave her in the dark. They believed ignorance for the time being would benefit them both if they were to live together, for now at least until they find a solution.

_Back at the shop just days ago…_

"Orihime, I need to speak with Urahara," he said as she stared a bit alarmed at the sound of the urgency in his voice for she had never heard him sound almost desperate and almost sad, maybe? From behind Orihime appeared the man Ulquiorra sought for, in such a swift entry that neither of them could hear or sense him. "Well well, good morning sleeping beauty!" he said sarcastically.

"Orihime," he continued with a smile on his face "would you help Tessai prepare dinner. I'm sure Ulquiorra is starving! Being fed through IV's is just not like the real thing don't you agree?"

She gasped and bolted up from Ulquiorra's bedside and marched towards the door "You're absolutely right! Poor Ulquiorra, I'm sorry I didn't realize! I'll get right on it." As she disappeared and as soon as they knew she was out of ear shot Ulquiorra skipped right to the chase.

"I need to restore my power," his eyes burning with intensity and urgency. "Is there a way that you can help me do that?" Urahara smiled in an almost cruel way and that was all they answer he needed. All the same the shop keeper answered "But of course." He shrugged as if it was no big deal, sighed and walked closer to Ulquiorra. "The question is do you have what it takes? To achieve Ichigo's Zangetsu himself took somewhat of work he even hollowfied," he said thinking back as to when Ichigo struggled to reconcile with his zanpakuto. "He was one tough cookie but Murcielago…I reckon he'll be even more headstrong and all the more powerful to subdue being as he originated from within you _as_ a Hollow yourself." He paused, "And because of that you may revert back to being a Hollow if you're not strong enough to suppress _Him. _The least that will happen is you'll become a vizard I suppose." He sat next to him cross-legged and continued "Now tell me," he leaned in closer "what did your inner world look like? Or better yet, what did _he_ say?"

Ulquiorra twitched; the man knew he would encounter his zanpakuto during the ordeal he put him through, but all the same he told him everything he experienced in that damp cold dark abyss-like inner world of his. "Also he continuously mentioned that I 'could not see'—I see perfectly fine." Urahara sat there unmoving; he said "I don't think _sight_ is what he meant, per se." Ulquiorra waited for him to continue but rather he changed the subject drastically "Well," he sighed happily "we'll discuss this later on. But for right now you need to recover because if Orihime is cooking—well we both know we're gonna need all our strength for that! Hahaha! Oh and you'll be going to school starting the following Monday I'm sure you'll do great! We'll discuss this over din—"

"Mr. Kisuke Uraha—"

"One or the other, Urahara or Kisuke. No suffix please I sound _old_," the shop keeper gaged at the word as he walked towards the door.

"Urahara, will you assist me?"

Urahara turned as he opened the door and said solemnly "Yes, but..."

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime shouted from a distance. "Dinner is ready boys!"

"But tell me Ulquiorra…What about Orihime made you think of her in the darkness?"

Ulquiorra didn't really know himself but he still felt connected to her not only by the bond but also a bond that may have formed in Las Noches and also... "I had a duty to protect her in Las Noches and that's all there is to it, my job was never accomplished back then and now I must complete it."

Urahara sighed heavily in disappointment of his stoic response, "So you still believe it's only because you're indebted to her?" Ulquiorra said but stared blankly into his eyes.

"Well for now Orihime is going to be hovering over you for a while keep you out of sight. You gave her quite a scare and now as you know Soul Society is going to catch wind of your return, and I don't have the tools at my disposal at the moment to aid your request. But I will soon. When you awoke the spiritual pressure you emanated wasn't vast enough for _them _to notice but since your awakening…"

An all too familiar roaring cry was heard from a further distance. "Your presence has been attracting a lot of _their_ attention, Mr. Popular. Hollows have been coming more frequent than not, and might catch _other_ unwanted attention. So for now," the shaggy-haired man said stopping as he walked through the threshold and continued "let's lay low. For now, kay?" and with that he vanished in a swish and from Ulquiorra's bed he heard the sound of a firecracker-like* screech followed by another monster-like screech.

_[Present time: walking to school]_

"Hey," Orihime said calling Ulquiorra back to reality as they approached the school gate. "Yes?" he answered unfazed. "Here is your schedule, and well you already have your books and your uniform…" taking a moment stopping in her tracks to take a look at him. The white button up pressed and ironed, tucked nicely into his grey slacks. His tie tied perfectly almost all the way to the neckline with one button left undone at the top covered by the grey blazer making him look like the studious-handsome type. She smiled warm-heartedly stirring up his curiosity—which had been increasing with each day, "What is it?" he asked.

"It's nothing you look great," she said with a sigh. "So I was thinking I'll take this chance to go over your alibi: You studied abroad in Spain for the last 2 years—by the way do you speak Spanish?"

"Fluent."

"Wow, really? Could you speak some right now for me?"

"No."

"Aw you're a meanie! And would you smile once in a while?"

"No," he said abruptly and bluntly.

Orihime pouted "Your no fun. Well you studied in Spain, your living with your 'father' here in Japan—that would be Mr. Urahara. Oh no your names are different! Well uh—"

"I have my mother's name, my parents divorced and I came here to get to know my father who I knew so little about as a child," he interjected and continued into the school gates leaving Orihime bewildered.

"OH WOW! That's a great story," she said and ran to catch up but with too much enthusiasm that it made the wandering students in the court yard turn heads noticing a new student walking through their school gates with their uniform. The girls noticing and gawking at his dashing good looks and distant demeanor.

The whispers started:

"Oh my gosh!" one girl said to her group of friends followed by the rest of the girl student body all asking and saying the same things "I never seen him before. He must be a new student."

"Maybe he's mixed! Just look at his eyes, it's a dead giveaway!"

The guys on the other hand didn't really acknowledge it until they saw the prettiest girl in school strolling beside him.

"What is our princess (_hime_) doing with the new kid?"

"Maybe they already knew each other?!"

"She's so cute today!" the guys said as their eyes moved from her face going lower and lower drooling as they reached her voluptuous breasts bouncing as she walked.

Ulquiorra noticed and had an itch to block their view but held himself back thinking _"It's no business of mine."_ But to ease the itch instead he simply stared causing them to snap out of their possibly disturbing boy fantasies about Orihime.

"Orihime!"

"Good morning Ichigo!"

Ichigo smiled briefly to Orihime and turned to Ulquiorra sending him a glare "Tch, I can't believe you're actually here…" he said under his breath as he turned to see Uryu and Chad walking towards them looking just as grim.

Tatsuki came behind Orihime "Hey Orihime!"

"Oh hi Tatsuki! How was your competition the other day..."

Their conversation stayed between them, as they converse Chad and Uryu came up to Ulquiorra with a nasty look. It's no surprise to Ulquiorra that Uryu confronted him first "Just so we're clear, I'm only going along with this for Orihime's sake. Even though she believes you have good in you. With or without your powers I still don't trust you." Chad said nothing but nodded in agreement.

"Quincy," Ulquiorra started. "I don't think I ever asked for your trust nor your aid in this façade but as of now I follow this woman's orders," he said glancing over to Orihime who was still in deep conversation. "So you see I don't need your trust only your cooperation."

Uryu looked annoyed at his reply. Chad asked something they all wondered "Why _do_ you follow her anyway?" Ulquiorra didn't answer only looked over his shoulder to see her smiling face laughing. As his gaze still locked on her face he said "I'm not certain only that I know I can't leave her side." Orihime seemed to notice a pair of unmistakably emerald eyes burning a hole into her. His expression was so focused and alluring she couldn't say or do anything except feel the blood flooding into her face as say pondered _"Why is he staring so intently? Is there maybe something on my face? But it feels…" _she couldn't fill in the blank for that last thought because she has never felt something so indescribable something he didn't even know yet, or since.

Tatsuki looked to Orihime and to Ulquiorra noticing their seemingly unbreakable gaze. Waving her hands in front of her face to snap her out for the trance she called out "Orihime!"

Orihime shake her head bringing her back to reality "Oh I'm sorry," taking one last look at Ulquiorra to see if he it was a hallucination; but he just stood there looking towards the school building which reminded her.

"Oh right sorry Tatsuki but I'll see you in class I gotta take Ulquiorra to the office so they know he's here for his first day see you," she said waving her good bye but reaching for Ulquiorra's shoulder at the same time. "Come on," as he felt that single touch he quickly about-faced to fellow her lead walking slightly beside her but keeping a good distance, as a good subordinate would do—to not overshadow their commanding officer.

_(Moments later in the classroom…)_

"Alright class settle down," the teacher called out other the chatter, and whispers about the new mysterious student "We have a new student joining us today. You may come in young man," motioning to the door. As the door slid open the room became silent and the student sat on the edge of their seats craning their necks trying to get the first look of the new student. Ulquiorra walked in with a graceful stride as he made his way to the front of the class turning to face his new peers he searched for one in particular. Orihime sat right in the middle of the class surrounded by the boys who he noticed were from this morning, she noticed him looking at her and she simply smiled.

The teacher motioned Ulquiorra to the class "Go ahead and introduce yourself."

Ulquiorra bowed slightly to the class straightening up he said "It's a pleasure to meet you all, my name is Ulquiorra Schiffer," and as he said that he looked to the teacher for further instruction.

"Tell us more about yourself, son. Where are you from?"

"I've just arrived from Spain," keeping his composure he looked back at the teacher signaling he did not wish to go on. Seeing this, the teacher sighed and motioned to an open seat next the window behind Ichigo. He bowed to his teacher and was just about to make his way to his seat when the class erupted into a parade of questions primarily from his female counterparts,

"Ulquiorra are you mixed?"

"Can you speak Spanish?"

"Your skin so pale and radiant, what products do you apply?"

The teacher raised his hands towards the class signaling them simmer down, "Now class we must continue on with class!" And it took all but one question to lose control of his class.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

The girls squeled but leaned in to entice an answer from him since he didn't seem to want to talk about him self, and with good reason, these girls wouldn't leave him alone if he did. "If you answer this one question we won't ask anymore!" murmurs of _yeah's _and _yes's _filled the room and the class became silent again. Ulquiorra stopped as a he reached his seat, looked over to Orihime who wasn't looking at him but fiddling with something under her desk, but he could see a splash of color creeping into her cheeks. He knew if he answered the question the questions wouldn't stop he knew that much for sure but he wanted to see Orihime's reaction. so he answered in an enticing voice that Orihime never noticed before making her turn her attention to him waiting for his answer.

"No I don't have one at the moment," Orihime blushed feeling silly that she thought he would say something other than the obvious. "But" he continued but paused hold her eyes with the immense gaze he gave her making her heart sped up watching his lips as he said dropping the gaze and looked out to the class again "my _heart_ belongs to someone already." And remarkably to Orihime's surprise as he said those words his expression seemed softer somehow…

"_Why would you say that?" _she thought.

"_Why did I say that?" _he said to himself as he took his seat and tuned out the classroom that was gushing and exaggerating the situation. Yet again feeling that warm comfortable feeilg he felt before.


End file.
