Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.

A/N – First things first, thank you for clicking on my story, I really appreciate it and reviews are very welcome!

Pairings: This story will be predominantly Ulquihime, however, it is likely to have some side relationships popping up throughout. These side relationships may be developed in chapters of their own (ones which, I suppose, if you are not interested in that pairing, can be skipped) but they will also be featured in lesser detail within the main story as well.

Rating: T (may rise)

Genre: Romance/Drama/Humour

Liberties will be taken with the story, but I will attempt to keep everyone in character. If anyone seems off, just let me know and I'll make the necessary changes. Same goes for spelling, grammar mistakes - though, I am Australian, so there will be some variations with words.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!


Prologue

She stood with her hand to her chest.

The battle was over, the dust long since settled, but there was no relief.

They had won, hadn't they?

Ichigo had won.

Kurosaki-kun.

Her grey eyes travelled to the edge of the dome, a distant longing to run after him, to be by his side, to protect, gripping at her heart. But she did not move. Her brows furrowed in confusion, what was this feeling? It was as if she were suspended in time, unable to move forward, unable to find her strength, unable to be the person she so wanted to be.

Unable.

Her gaze drifted back to the now empty space before her, eyes focused but unseeing. In the back of her mind she could hear Ishida's movements, feel him touch her arm, urge her along "Inoue-san, we need to get out of here", but she couldn't move. She couldn't accept that this was how it would end, all shades of grey, null and void in the depths of Hueco Mundo, all moonlight and ash.

She drew in a shaky breath. Her fingertips itched as they dug into the palm of her hand. She briefly wondered if she would find traces of him there, if her skin would be dusted a sooty black, but despite her curiosity, she could not bring herself to look down, afraid of what she would see (or not see).

"-get to Kurosaki."

Orihime jolted slightly at the sound of his name -strangely jarring amidst her confusion- and finally she allowed Ishida to lead her away, his newly restored hand tugging briefly at her elbow before falling back to his side. She trailed after him absently, her boots scraping softly against the concrete under her feet.

It felt so wrong- to be leaving. Leaving without...

Without what?

Without trying to reverse what occurred today?

She couldn't do that. Her friends had fought so hard to rescue her, to ensure her safety. Ichigo...had sacrificed everything. To revive an enemy...

Orihime sighed softly, she doubted she was even capable. Ulquiorra had been reduced to ash. It was not the same as restoring an arm, or healing a hole in the chest. There was nothing left. He had been scattered with the wind, with the rubble, with the sand. She shook her head, suddenly reminded of an old nursery rhyme, about an egg and a wall. She had cried when she first heard it, the demise of the unassuming egg, absolutely heartbreaking to her younger self. She couldn't help but feel that same hopelessness.

Orihime raised a hand to wipe the wetness from her eyes- crying now, not for an egg, but for a man in much the same predicament.

If all the Kings horses and all the Kings men could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again, what chance did she- one teenage girl- have of restoring Ulquiorra?

Close to none, she knew...but even so...

They had tried.

Even though they didn't succeed...All the Kings horses and all the Kings men...

They had tried.

Her stomach grew nauseous, and her thoughts began to spin.

If I just concentrate..If I...

A deep frown pulled at her lips and within moments, she was walking again, tears spilling down her cheeks. A part of her screamed to turn around, to return to that certain spot, to try, but something pushed her forward. She owed it to her friends. She needed to keep going.

Quickening her pace, Orihime followed after the Quincy, suddenly determined to get away from this place as fast as possible.

But Orihime had always been clumsy...

She found herself tripping forward when her boot absently struck something hard, sending the offending object skidding smoothly across the ground. Thankfully, she managed to catch herself before she collapsed to her knees. She righted herself quickly, turning to glare at the strange, narrow fragment now lying not a metre from where she stood. Her eyes widened.

It couldn't be.

She glanced cautiously up at Ishida, confirming that he was lost in his own thoughts, before walking as calmly as she could, towards the narrow bone. She grasped it quickly, her eyes scanning the fragment with utmost awe.

This has to be it.

Her breath hitched and she felt a small spark of hope swell in her chest. Without a second thought, Orihime drew up the top layer of her gown and slipped the mask piece into the waistband of her hakama, tapping it briefly to assure herself it was safely secured, before sliding the dress back in to place.

"Inoue-san?"

Her head jerked up to meet Ishida's concerned gaze. Had he seen her?

She forced a smile to her lips. "Sorry, Ishida-kun!" She blurted meekly, deciding to play oblivious as she shuffled forward to walk beside the Quincy. He looked at her curiously, but did not question her on it.

Instead, they walked in silence, the edge of the dome inevitably nearing. Orihime attempted to keep her footsteps even, but she knew that when the time came to descend, she would hesitate. Her mind was too filled with thoughts- possibilities, worries, regrets- but there was hope there too.

Her hand slipped to the object concealed at her hip.

If there was one thing she was certain of, it was this. His body may have been turned to ash...but this was solid.


Chapter One – Indefinite Visitors

"But what does Urahara-san want with us?" She asked for what had to be the third or fourth time. The foursome had been debating the possibilities for well over an hour, but so far hadn't come up with any reasonable explanations.

Since the conclusion of the Winter War, the small group had seen neither hide nor hair of the eccentric scientist, his presence in the town becoming increasingly difficult to sense and his reiatsu often vanishing completely. It was obvious to the group that Urahara was on the move, and as the months and years drew on, they assumed that the exiled Shinigami had decided to lie low, using his travels to distance himself from the going ons of Soul Society. Now, however, as they made their way toward the infamous candy shop, Orihime could sense the cracks in their hypothesis.

She bit her lip softly as she glanced around at her three companions, catching the eye of Ishida who walked by her side. With his brows furrowed and mouth pressed in a straight line, he appeared to be just as perplexed as she was.

"I'm not sure." he finally replied, "It seems strange for him to contact us out of the blue like this. But then again...when has anything involving Urahara-san been normal?"

"You got that right." Ichigo grumbled, sliding a hand through his spiky orange hair. The anxiety was clear on his face and Orihime couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking of Rukia, hoping for news.

She looked away, her chest suddenly tight and stomach nauseous. She swallowed thickly before rising her eyes back to Ichigo. Rukia's absence was hard on all of them, she was their friend and they missed her greatly, but everyone could see that Ichigo had been effected in more ways than one.

Orihime frowned, her footsteps growing heavier. She had accepted long ago that her feelings for Ichigo were likely to remain unrequited, but that did not mean she would ever get used to the hurt. "Do you think it has something to do with Kuchiki-san?" She questioned flippantly, valiantly attempting to hide her fallen mood.

Ichigo bristled but said nothing, his brown eyes focused on the path before him.

"It could be, Inoue-san." Ishida conceded, his voice taking on a thoughtful tone, "but I can't help but think it is something else."

Orihime nodded, the chance that this was merely a catch-up session did seem a little far-fetched. Unless, of course, it was to share news of a more serious nature, but she didn't want to think about that right now.

The group fell silent as they approached their destination, and Sado stepped up beside Orihime to send her one of his reassuring smiles. She returned the gesture gratefully, the tension in her shoulders seemingly easing with the upturn of his lips. The tall man was always so in-tune with the emotions of others, that his presence itself was undeniably comforting- a gentle power all of his own. Orihime often wondered just how much he could tell from the expression on her face. Did he see the hope? The sadness? The jealousy?

Orihime shook her head, hoping to scramble her thoughts into something more positive. No such luck. Her attempt, sadly, only led her to thinking about this morning's breakfast and how much she wished she'd made her speciality scrambled eggs, instead of the boring old cereal she'd settled with. She firmly believed that if she'd been filled with a better breakfast, she wouldn't be in quite so lower spirits now.

Ohh well, there's always tomorrow. She silently reassured herself, as the door to the sweet shop slid open, and a boy with a head full of flaming red hair, stomped out.

"It's about time you guys got here!" he grouched, two hands firmly planted on his hips.

"Settle down, squirt!" Ichigo waved the boy off, stepping passed him to enter the shop. "We're here now, aren't we?"

Jinta scowled. "Yeah well...you haven't had to put up with, what I've had to put up with!"

Orihime's brows furrowed at that, but she smiled down at him anyway. "I'm sorry, Jinta-kun. We didn't know we were so late!"

"It's okay, I guess..." He mumbled bashfully, his anger dropping away and his gaze suddenly fixated on his feet.

Orihime giggled quietly, resting a placating hand upon the boy's shoulder, as she waited for Sado and Ishida to slip through the door. Jinta immediately shrugged her off -his face glowing a deep red- and darted off after them, leaving Orihime to silently follow.

Upon entering the living area of 'The Urahara Shop', it became clear to the newcomers that something was not right. The room itself- while never completely tidy- was in complete disarray, with random articles of clothing, bedding and empty food wrappers strewn across every possible surface. Amongst the mess, sat the owner himself, looking completely at ease within the ruin of his sitting room- tea cup clutched daintily in one hand and biscuit in the other.

"Ahhh, welcome!" he chirped flippantly, the hand holding the biscuit gesturing grandly to the various cushions slumped around the small coffee table. "Please, sit! Sit! We have much to discuss!"

The four visitors exchanged glances, before Sado took the initiative and sat down beside the eccentric Shinigami, the other three reluctantly following suit. Orihime watched, amused, as Ishida made a point of removing some of the filth from his own pillow before lowering himself onto it. The poor Quincy always was too clean for his own good.

"Jinta, I do believe you were...cleaning the bathroom?" Urahara did not look up at the boy lingering in the doorway, instead making a show of preparing the tea for his guests.

Jinta rolled his eyes, but knew better than to argue. "Yeah, yeah. I'm goin'."

Orihime smiled as he turned from the room, his shoulders hunched in a sulky manner. She couldn't help but wonder if the bathroom was in a similar state to the room they were in now, if so, he certainly had his work cut out for him. Maybe she'd lend him a hand when this meeting was over...She hated the idea of him slaving away all by himself, buried under mountains of garbage and other unmentionable things. Not to mention, battling against rats or worse yet, bugs! No, later she would make sure she found the time to help, but for now...

"First things first!" Urahara began, his hand reaching out to grasp the plate in front of him. "Cookies, anyone?"

Orihime politely declined, her eyes making a quick circle around the table as the others did much the same. She could see that Ichigo was already becoming impatient, his intense gaze firmly locked on their host as if to implore him to hurry up and begin, but Urahara for his part, seemed in no mood to rush.

The next few minutes were filled with awkward glances and tentative sipping. Ichigo, who had abandoned his own cup, had taken to drumming his fingers on the edge of the table, his eyebrow twitching with irritation.

Urahara smiled at the spiky-haired teen before turning to address the rest of the table. "So, I suppose you are all wondering why I have called you here..."

"Ya think?" Ichigo snapped, his brown eyes glaring daggers at his former teacher.

"Now, now, there's no need for hostility, all will be revealed in time..."

Ishida sighed, "With all due respect, Urahara-san, but I think we're all anxious to know what this is about."

Urahara drew a lazy smile as he brought his teacup to his lips, sipping casually before setting it down in front of him. "Very well," he conceded, his hand drifting up to rub at his chin. He appeared thoughtful for a moment, but it was unclear to Orihime whether it was just a farce to build suspense or if he was genuinely wondering how to begin. Probably the former, she decided.

"You see, to put things simply..." the scientist finally continued, "The end of the Winter War- more specifically, the destruction of the Hogyoku, has had some unexpected...repercussions."

Ichigo leant forward in his seat, his brown eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Repercussions?"

"Mmm, yes, I'm afraid so. Now, I assume that you've noticed my extended absences over the past three years?"

The group remained silent, but nodded their reply. Yes, they had.

"Well..." Urahara explained, "This has been largely due to my recent investigations within the Hollow Realm- Hueco Mundo."

Orihime's eyes widened, and her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

"What is a heart? If I tear open your chest, would I find it there? If I crack open your skull.."

She inhaled deeply and allowed her eyes to slip closed. She could feel their stares on her- knew what they were thinking. "I'm fine." she said firmly, looking bravely into their faces. She was stronger now and she would prove it to them "Please, go on, Urahara-san."

The green-clad Shinigami watched her for a moment, his lips pursed and eyes hard, calculating. Orihime found herself holding her breath, her body tense under his scrutiny, when finally, his features softened and he nodded his head."As you all know," he went on, "Aizen's manipulation of the Hogyoku brought about many changes within the more advanced Hollow...Almost an..." He twirled his hand airily, as he searched for the correct word. "Evolution, of sorts..."

"With the Hogyoku being the centre of these changes, I had anticipated that its destruction would have an effect on the Arrancar- and of course, so had Soul Society." Urahara paused to dunk the edge of his cookie into his tea, a satisfied smile spreading to his lips as he watched the warm liquid soak into the biscuit. "But, with Soul Society being how it is, and in a state of post-war recuperation," He continued, offhandedly, "They were quite reluctant to undergo any thorough investigations in Hueco Mundo."

"So you took it upon yourself, Urahara-san?" Ishida supplied rationally.

Urahara smiled, "Naturally. However,my investigations, perhaps, were not as successful as I would have liked. The Arrancar..."

This is it. Orihime thought, this is why we are here. She felt her stomach give a sickening lurch, and suddenly, all she could do was stare. Stare at her hands, stare at the walls, stare at the ceiling...stare at anything that did not have two eyes, a nose and a mouth.

I asked you if you're frightened.

Orihime clenched her fists in her lap. No. She wasn't going to do this.

I'm not afraid.

Setting her jaw, she refocused her eyes on Urahara, who seemed to be having some difficulty deciding how best to continue.

"With the loss of the Hogyoku's power, the Arrancar have..." he frowned slightly, as he lifted one hand to scratch at the back of his head. "Well, lets just say, they have...reverted back to their...simplest forms."

Orihime's brows knitted together. Simplest forms?

"Hollows?" She asked uncertainly.

Urahara shook his head, a small smile pulling at his lips."Humans."

"Whaaat?" Ichigo burst out, "You mean-"

"Yes."

"But, Urahara-san," Ishida spoke up, his voice losing some of its usual calm. "Arrancar are hybrids of Hollow and Shinigami, surely they-"

"No, Ishida-san. Whether they were Hollow or Shinigami in their afterlife, it makes no difference. They began as Humans."

The group fell silent.

Orihime felt her resolve waning, and once again, her eyes flickered to her lap. Humans, in Hueco Mundo... She could see their faces, imagine the destruction...

They may have been enemies once, but she would never have wished that torment on anyone.

They regained their hearts, only to be...

"So what now, Urhara-san."A deep voice finally spoke up, shattering the stillness of the room. Sado had always been so strong willed, ready to go ahead. Orihime admired him for that.

"Well, Sado-san, now we have to...live with the changes." Urahara replied enigmatically. Ichigo opened his mouth to question him, but was silenced by the shinigami's raised hand. "As you can imagine, the possibility of Humans surviving in the Hollow Realm is exceptionally low, and I'm afraid, by the time I arrived, many of the former Arrancar had been all but wiped out..."

Orihime felt her throat close and her sight blur, her suspicions confirmed. She began to wonder, if things were as hopeless as they seemed, why Urahara had called them here at all. Surely, things were beyond their control.

Out of their reach.

Unconsciously, she brought her hand up to her chest, her fist squeezing into a protective ball before her heart.

Sensing their fallen moods, Urahara cleared his throat, drawing the attentions of his melancholy audience. He gave them a curious look- a twitch of the lip and an arch of the brow- before cupping his hands to his mouth. "Ururu!"

Orihime watched bemusedly, as the the living room door slid open to reveal the small dark haired girl. Had she been waiting there the entire time? Surely not.

Ururu peeked her head in meekly, her gaze moving directly to Urahara. Their exchange was brief, and before anyone could mutter a greeting to the girl, she was darting out of the room once again. A loud clatter sounded outside the door, followed by feet slapping against the floorboards.

Orihime braced herself. What on Earth was...

The door burst open.

"Ichigo~!"

Ichigo's eyes widened, "Nel?"

The woman charged, arms flailing outwards as she launched herself at the spiky-haired man, capturing him in a rib crushing hug. Ichigo yelped painfully, his limbs jerking at random angles as he struggled in the embrace.

"Nel-san!" Orihime gasped, too shocked at the (former?) Arrancar's appearance, to recognise the tell tale signs of a man being smothered.

Ishida -to his credit- did notice, and leant across the table to try and pry the voluptuous woman off of his friend. Orihime blinked slowly -snapping out of her trance- and quickly reached out to help, only to have her hand freeze -mid air- at the sound of a sardonic chuckle.

All eyes were instantly drawn to the doorway, and the air in the room suddenly grew thick and unbreathable.

No way.

"What the fuck you lookin' at, Strawberry?"


AN

Thanks for reading, reviews are most appreciated!