"Are you scared?"

Ulquiorra, the 4th Espada, walked down the empty corridor towards Orihime. She made no reply. Perhaps those words were meant to be a threat - that she should feel afraid. But he said them in the same lifeless tone as he said anything else. After all the time she'd spent in Hueco Mundo, this one constant had become strangely comforting to her. If the world of Shinigami had been different, and Death was personified by only one figure, she'd imagine him now to be just like Ulquiorra. Unchanging, immovable, inescapable. It seemed fitting... it helped put her at peace.

"You're useless to Aizen now. There's no one left to protect you. It's over. You will die alone here, where no one can touch you."

Orihime still remained silent. She just looked sadly into Ulquiorra's eyes.

"I asked you if you're scared."

He was very close to her now, but she felt strangely calm. Without flinching or shaking, she spoke the truth.

"I'm not afraid. Everyone came to save me, so my heart is... already with them."

That's right.. it wasn't here anymore. It didn't matter anymore what happened to her in this place. And if her heart wasn't here, in a way that would make her... like a Hollow?

As Orihime's gaze hardened, Ulquiorra found himself looking into a mirror. Why did he seek this victory over her? Her powers were unique. Worthless in an actual fight, perhaps... she had no hope of stopping him if he did decide to kill her. But there were other measures of power. Ulquiorra himself cared nothing for the rankings handed out to the Hollows. Number 4 was impressive enough, but he could have been number 99 for all he cared. Aizen-sama would still know just who to turn to when he needed someone capable and trustworthy.

Aizen-sama... Ulquiorra's loyalty to him was never based on anything sentimental, like the fact that he was his creator. He simply felt that the world was trash. Both the real world, and the world of souls. If any God or King truly did stand in Heaven, he was asleep at the wheel. Worthless. Less than worthless. Ulquiorra would never have cared enough to try and change this himself. But if someone like Aizen-sama wanted to tear apart all of Soul Society to make that change, he could count on Ulquiorra to help him dispose of the trash. Ulquiorra had once heard Orihime's power described as undoing the will of God. The idea appealed to him.

Why did he seek this victory over her?

Maybe to prove once and for all... that she was garbage. She had no ambitions like Aizen-sama, even if he could acknowledge her, he could never follow her. And if she wasn't great enough for him to follow, why should he care at all about her?

In the end, he didn't even care about Aizen-sama. If his plan was undone, Ulquiorra would just go on looking for the next piece of garbage to burn...

Why should he care at all about her?

He never cared about anything. Among all the lost souls that had gathered to make the being that would become Ulquiorra, that was the pattern that had emerged and taken hold. It was the true source of his power. It kept him from being as foolish as pointless glory-seekers like Grimmjow. It made him invincible.

Why should he care about her?

A long, dead silence passed between them until Ulquiorra suddenly clamped a hand around her throat. She didn't bother to struggle. He let his reiatsu build until the sheer pressure of it should make her cower, but still she stood there, unmoving. She only focused on staring into his eyes, even when he ripped her white Espada-style robe open. At last, he forfeited the staring contest to force his lips onto hers.

She didn't either respond or recoil. Ulquiorra wasn't sure anymore what he wanted. Would he rather have her fight him this way, keeping up her passive resistance to the very end? Or would he prefer to force some reaction out of her? And if so, what reaction?

Orihime was so set on preparing for death and pain that this act truly surprised her. She tried to think of it as a creative form of torture. Maybe not so creative for long... but she didn't want to give in, however it went. After her friends had tried so hard to help her, she didn't want them to feel bad for failing her, to worry about what things had been done to her. Not that there was any way for them to know what really happened, but... somehow it was still important. Somehow they'd know in the end. That they hadn't needed to worry about her. She'd been brave. She'd be fine... yes, she would be fine. Ever since he laid out the terms of her capture, she'd started to feel a bizarre trust in Ulquiorra.

She only winced slightly as his cold hands moved over her body. He broke the kiss to find her still staring at him with that mirror gaze, even as his fingers reached up inside her. He knew now that he did like it this way. It was like she was using that power again. It could be thought of as healing, but it was really denying reality... undoing what has happened before. He could violate her right now, he would violate her right now, and she would simply reject it. Her reality would be untouched. It would not hurt her. Her power was an extension of his own... and that was why he wanted it.

Ulquiorra pushed her down to the floor and undid his Espada uniform. He knelt over her and purposely teased her, trailing a light touch around her large breasts. Orihime couldn't help thinking back to Matsumoto hovering over her instead, that one time... the absurdity of it made her want to laugh. Or maybe that was because this was just ticklish... why did her mind always have to wander off into silly thoughts? Maybe because she was trying not to have serious thoughts... suddenly, Ulquiorra's mouth was on her breast instead, and his hand reached back down between her legs. It felt wet, but why? Didn't that mean...? He circled his tongue over her nipple one last time before laying his whole body over hers. They could both feel her heart rate jump now, as his hard erection brushed against her. Then he whispered into her ear.

"You have nothing to fear, Orihime."

"AAaaaan--!"

Orihime finally cried out as Ulquiorra thrust himself into her. It only hurt for a moment, but that wasn't the only shock that finally broke her resistance. She was scared now, of herself.

It felt so irresistible... him moving inside her. His eyes were closed now, his breathing was faster... it excited her to see this drastic change in him. To know it was because of her. But he had caused her friends so much pain before. How could she enjoy this? How could she betray them like this? She could figure it out later. For now, she couldn't think anymore, she just wanted to kiss him again.

His coldness was delicious, like sucking on icicles. She found herself raising her hips up to meet his thrusts, trying to get him even deeper and then he did go deeper, making them both gasp at the pleasure of it. He slowed down now for a while, nearly pulling out of her only to slam back in, until he couldn't bear to go slow anymore. Faster and faster, she felt him moving back and forth, straining towards an inevitable climax. She reached it first, squeezing him tightly as her first orgasm shuddered through her. He could feel it, a series of short spasms, even in her vaginal walls. The sound of her soft moans and her new tightness pushed him over the edge next. He came inside her, finishing with slow and deliberate thrusts. After catching their breath, they dared again to look at each other.

Ulquiorra still looked the same as he always did. He couldn't help it. But it felt different, somehow. A different reason behind that silent stare. He rolled off of her and let her rest with her head on his chest. Right beneath...

They lay there together for a long time, two ghostly white figures in a hallway of infinite black.