Pairing: Ulquiorra x Orihime

Rating: PG – Gore

Synopsis: What if Orihime tried to stop Ichigo from delivering the final slice? She heals Ulquiorra with Shoten Kessu and repairs his organs and he LIIIVVVEEES. Picks up from chapter 351.

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach in any way, shape, or form.

"Boo!" - Speaking

'Boo!' - Thinking

BOO! - Sound Effects

-:-:-

"You think this will make me hesitate?" Ulquiorra questioned a hollowized Ichigo, preparing a lightning-lance in his right hand. "Don't underestimate me!"

"Kurosaki-Kun! Please stop!" Ichigo's mind couldn't register Inoue Orihime's cries of desperation as he forced his bare hand onto the lance.

'Impossible, barehanded…?'

Energy and smoke beams shot from the joined hands of the fighters. As the dome-top cleared, hollow-Ichigo exhaled threateningly to a shocked Ulquiorra's face.

"Stop it Kurosaki!" Ichigo slashed his right hand downward into Ulquiorra's shoulder and slicing diagonally down to his hip.

"He… won…" Ishida breathed as Ichigo stood triumphantly over his victory.

"Damn it…!" Ulquiorra said as he calmly turned his focus onto Ichigo. "I can't believe… I was beaten by some human turned Hollow… How ridiculous…"

Ulquiorra's head was forcibly pressed into the concrete beneath him as Ichigo slammed his foot down. A cero was charging in-between his horns as he looked down upon his kill.

"I see… No mercy, eh? How very Hollow-like." The beaten Espada's eyes narrowed as he glared up at Ichigo. "I don't care. I have no reason to live now that you've beaten me." The cero was ready.

"Kurosaki-Kun! Don't!" Orihime ran and slammed into Ichigo as hard as she could to prevent him from firing. The cero in-between his horns faded as he stood menacingly over the girl's trembling form.

"Inoue! What the hell are you doing!?" Ishida's panicked voice came from where she was but moments ago.

"Stupid woman," came a strained voice from next to Orihime. Ulquiorra's pale yellow eyes were trained on her, but his face showed no emotion.

"You… help…" The startled girl looked up at Ichigo to see that he had begun advancing towards her. Fear squeezed her heart tighter and tighter with each step he took until he was standing directly in front of her.

"I'll… help… you…" Orihime's eyes widen as she saw Zangetsu slowly being raised up over the Hollow's head. Gray eyes clenched shut as the zanpakuto was brought down.

-:-:-

OHMYGOD. A multi-chapter story. I've never done one before, so please bear with me. I was originally writing this to be a one-shot. But ugh, who wants to read a seven page one-shot? I wouldn't. (Unless it was awesome)

I tried to stick to the manga (when, of course, I wasn't making up my own story) as best as I could.

Please continue reading!