(A/N): Alright, so I'm not going to do this every chapter. Simply because I feel it's unnecessary. Though, I will say that this is my first attempt at Ulquiorra/Orihime. o.0 I've been a fan of Bleach for a while, but no character in the anime intrigued me as much as Ulquiorra's did. What can I say; I have a thing for mysterious/intelligent guys. xD Anyways, I stopped reading Bleach after Ulquiorra died. I have a tendency to do that when my favorite characters die. -.- Especially when they're the most EPIC character. Dx It's just not entertaining to me anymore. ;(

._.

Normally, I can't stand it when they have a plot where there's a female that's completely and totally in love with the main guy character, but he's in love with someone else or doesn't notice her "feelings". I tend to wonder how many times they're going to repeat this cliché. I also tend to not like the female character as well, because I think she's dumb, but this doesn't apply in Orihime's case. Orihime portrays a strong spirit which is demonstrated when she... *snickers*... slaps Ulquiorra across the face. I'm sorry, and as much as I love you Ulquiorra, you got bitch slapped. xD The gall of that woman. If that's not courage, I don't know what is. ;D

Rating: NC-17/R

Pairing: Ulquiorra/Orihime

Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama/Comedy

Description: I had never been good when it came to consoling others, but seeing her there... like that... I did not understand. I did not understand this sudden feeling that I had to touch her, wrap my arms her, and hold her. It irked me to my core to know that she was affecting me. What had she done? What had she done to me?

Leave Out All the Rest

Chapter One: Alive

The floor I was lying on was cold and hard. It was only moments ago that I had awoken from what I assume was a very deep slumber. Or so it felt that it was. I sat up and rested my forearm on my raised knee. From the looks of it, it appeared as if I was… nowhere and the room was pitch black.

I made an attempt to Sonido from where I was seated to the other side of the room. To no avail, I remained where I was. I can't say that I was surprised due to the fact that I was deceased. Agitated, I stood and secured my hands in my pockets, deciding that I would walk until I found something… anything.

Hours passed it seemed, and I felt as if I had been walking around in circles or trapped within a maze. There was a certain feeling that plagued me as I made my way through the darkness. At first I wasn't able to place my finger on it, but then I remembered a rare conversation I had had with Gin a while ago...

"Do you ever get lonely, Ulquiorra," he had asked me with his usual disturbing grin.

"I do not understand," was my only reply as I looked over Hueco Mundo from the roof of Los Noches.

He paused for a moment and watched me, tilting his head. "Well, being lonely pertains to kind of feeling empty inside. It's what we call an emotion. Have you ever felt empty inside," he asked as he leaned closer to me.

I glanced at him from my peripheral vision. "I am not familiar with such things."

"Eh?" was his reply. "... but your eyes tell me something different. Perhaps your subconscious is only aware of how you've suffered...," he mumbled.

"How I've suffered," I asked as I turned to him.

He waved one hand in dismissal. "Ah, don't mind me. I was just curious." With those last words he disappeared.

All I did was stand there my expression emotionless, but my mind troubled...

Loneliness. It was true that part of me had always felt partially empty inside, but I had never recognized it before until now.

Suddenly, something appeared before my eyes tearing me from my thoughts. It resembled a… throne of some sort. I stopped. Throne or no throne, it wasn't empty. I remained quiet, not being one to speak first.

"Ulquiorra Cifer. Former Cuarta Espada. The first time you died you were no older than twenty one and… human. The second time, you were a hollow defeated by Sosuke Aizen ten or so years ago. The third time, you died protecting the man." The voice was deep, that of another man. "I guess, he found you of some use, no?"

I couldn't resist the shock that edged its way onto my face as I stared down my opponent.

"You look surprised, Ulquiorra." The voice was behind me now. "By the way, have you noticed? You no longer possess any powers. Matter of fact, you're just as weak as a mere human."

I regained control of my emotions. "Why do I still exist?"

Silence. Until, finally, "Because I'm not ready to take you yet." Then, he appeared before me, one hand in his pocket and the other hung limply at his side. His face was masked by the darkness as crimson eyes stared me down intently. "How should I put this… you… you intrigue me. I find it fascinating to watch you struggle day by day, and watch you grow more detached year by year."

"Is that so?"

I could hear him snicker. "It is entertaining from time to time, but the truth is, Ulquiorra, that I'm going to use you as a pawn. Think of it as a little test. If you pass then you may continue to live as a human, but if you fail…," he sighed. "Do you understand?"

"I refuse," was my immediate answer as I gazed at him sharply.

His chin rose. "Oh? And how do you plan to do that exactly? You have no powers. In fact, the only thing you have left is the coldness within you…"

You know nothing.

"Correction," he said invading my mind again. "I know everything about you. From the day you were born to the day you died… as an Espada. Besides, aren't you the one that knows nothing about yourself?"

My eyes widened.

"You do nothing but close yourself off from others, Ulquiorra. You don't care for others pain if they are weaker then you, and you consider them trash. Just like your father considered you trash." He smirked. "You wanted to forget about them so much, but he remembered. Grimmjow never forgot about his brother. Even when he was standing here before me as you were. He's always remembered while all you did was forget."

I fell to my knees as small memories began to flash before my eyes, defeated and suddenly weak. "Aizen…"

"Aizen didn't create you. He only helped you create yourself, what you wished to be. A shadow of a man. You tried so hard not to be like him, but in the end you became him. Tch, you don't deserve the life that I'm giving you… but there is no one else that I see fit for the job." There was a pause as his eyes traveled to another part of the room. "Anyways, it's time for you to go, but before you do… I think I should remind you of a little something. Remind you of what and where you came from." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

I covered my ears as I heard voices in my head. They were muffled, but it was immensely loud. "Make it stop," I yelled.

Then it was gone and I found myself lying face down on the ground. As I felt a cool breeze sweep across my face, I opened my eyes only to find that I was being stared at by a cat. It tilted its head to the side and approached me. I didn't have the energy to swat it away as it licked my face mercilessly. Nor did I have the energy to respond when it spoke.

"Kisuke, it would seem that you have a guest."

I felt paralyzed.

"Hn, well would you look at that?" I watched as two hands reached down to pick up the cat. "Jinta, Ururu, I need the two of you to get a room ready."

There was nothing I could do as my eyes closed on their own accord and sleep took me as its hostage.

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"Why are you not eating your food, woman," I asked as I closed the door to her room. "Aizen is not pleased."

She didn't respond.

I would hate myself for this later, but if it was the only way that I could get her attention... "You must eat... Orihime," I forced out.

All she did was stare at me with wide eyes. "You...," she whispered. Her voice was hoarse. The result of not drinking enough fluids.

I walked to the side of the bed where she was resting and leaned over her. Gripping her jaw between my index finger and thumb, I blankly stared down at her. I could see fear in her eyes, and to my surprise, it displeased a part of me that I didn't know existed. "If it were not for Aizen's orders to keep you out of harms way, you would be dead by now."

She smiled, but it lacked emotion as she bitterly replied, "You'd be doing me a favor."

My face remained impassive as I stared her down. "What must I do?" I tried to reason with her. "What would you have me do to make you obey?"

Wrapping her fingers around my wrist, she stared at me with saddened eyes. "Give me hope." Her eyes fluttered closed as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm so lonely here. All I want is someone I can talk to, and to know that my friends are okay."

We stayed like that for what seemed like decades until I finally released my hold on her and straightened. "I have told you once before that they will not make it out of here alive." I turned on my heel and walked to the door. Stopping, I looked at her over my shoulder. "If you have not eaten by the time I return...," I didn't feel that I needed to finish the sentence due to the fact that I had said it too many times before.

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"… He said your name in his sleep."

"H-he what?" That voice. "But how does he…?"

It couldn't be.

"I'm not sure either. That's why I called you. From what I know his name is..."

"Ulquiorra Cifer," another voice sounded. This one sounded similar to the cat that had approached me earlier.

"Are you sure? What… what did he look like?" It must be her unless my mind is playing tricks on me.

"Hmm? Uh… well… he had black hair, greens eyes and he was kind of pale. If he had been any whiter I would've probably thought he was albino."

Silence.

I could hear the sound of a door sliding open and then closing. I was human now. Vulnerable. We were… on the same level. "Ulquiorra…," I heard her breath.

Opening my eyes, I sat up and placed one hand behind me on the futon to support myself. "When I was dying," I began. "…you reached out for me. Why?" It was all I could say at the moment. I had not expected to see her again.

She ignored my question. "You haven't changed at all… except…," she paused. "You look so… normal." I listened to her footsteps as she approached me. The feel of her breath on the side of my neck almost made me shudder. Almost.

I remained still as I said, "Don't… touch me." Her fingers were in the process of unbuttoning my shirt when I had spoken, and she paused. I dragged my eyes to meet hers. She visibly flinched under my stare. "Have you not been taught of personal space, woman?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as her cheeks tinted slightly. "Sorry. I just… I only wanted to see if your hollow hole was still there." She dropped her hands to her lap.

"It is not. The tattoo is gone as well."

She nibbled on her bottom lip. I had always found that habit to be odd. "So, that means you're…"

"Correct."

"That would also mean that you don't have any…"

"That is also correct."

We stared at each other for quite some time until she finally made her move, and I gripped her fist in my hand. She looked frightened. "I thought you said…"

"Apparently, my physical abilities are still at my disposal." She surprised me when she tried again, but I gripped her wrist just before she had the chance to slap me. I heard her gasp when her back hit the floor and I pinned her arms above her head. Now aware that she would try whatever possible to cause me physical pain, I trapped her legs between mine, so she would not have the chance to kick. "As human as I may be now, I will not allow you to have the upper hand."

Her lips parted as if she was going to say something, but instead, she just closed her eyes and sighed. There it was again. The feeling of her warm breath against my skin. This time I couldn't control it. I shuddered, and closed my eyes at the sensation. I hated it. The sensitivity that you felt as a human. The weaknesses. All of the emotions. I hated everything about being human.

"Ulquiorra…," she whispered.

I opened my eyes to look down at her. She was staring at my… lips?

My hold on her loosened and I did not reply. "You know what I think?" She slipped one of her hands free and pressed the palm of her hand to my cheek. "I don't think that you believe emotions don't exist, instead, I think that you've just forgotten how to show them." Her hand moved from my cheek. Her fingers graced my lips as they traced down my neck to my chest. I did the best that I could to maintain a stoic expression. "Your heart's beating so fast."

Why can't I move? What is she... what has she done to me?

"You know, it's been three years since the incident in Hueco Mundo, and I… I felt so alone until you showed up."

I see. So it has been a long time since we last met. "You don't have contact with your allies?"

"I do, but some of us grew apart."

I rose to my feet and held my hand out to her. She seemed surprised and hesitated. I suppose… an action like that would be surprising if it were coming from me. "If you wish to stay on the floor, so be it." I turned and opened the door to the small room. "Remember this, Orihime Inoue: I am no longer your captor and you no longer my captive. We have no reason to be in each other's presence, so, therefore, I am ending this here. Do you understand?"

"Ulquiorra… wait. You'll need a place to stay, won't you?" By listening to the direction her voice was coming from, I could tell that she had risen to her feet and was not far from me. Unacceptable.

"I will not." The way that I felt when we were in the same room was unacceptable. The way that my body reacted to her touch was unacceptable. The way my heart… unacceptable.

"Oh yes you will."

I tilted my head at an angle to stare at the man before me. His attire consisted of a bucket hat, robes, and sandals. Trash.

The corner of his mouth lifted up into a half smile. "Ulquiorra Cifer. Servant of Aizen, who just so happens to be the only person in the universe that I despise, and former captor of Orihime."

"Hn. Kisuke Urahara. Former third seat in the second division until you soon became the captain of the twelfth division. You are also the creator of the Hogyoku."

He smiled fully now. "Seems as though you've done your research too. I'm not sure whether to be flattered or concerned."

"Perhaps both?"

"Hmm. Orihime," he said not taking his eyes off of me. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but he's human now. Even so, I still sense a strong amount of spiritual pressure from him, so he'll most likely still be able to see hollows. Unfortunately, he can't use a Zanpakuto." He gripped the front of his hat. "To sum it all up, besides his physical abilities, he's useless when in battle."

"Useless," I repeated as I took a step forward. I stopped when Orihime placed her hand on my shoulder. Venomously, I stared Kisuke down before I shrugged her hand off of me, turned on my heel and walked away.

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It was raining. The feeling of the semi-cold droplets hitting my skin was soothing. I had reached what I assumed to be a park and sat down at the nearest bench.

She had been right. I had forgotten how to show emotion. It had been decades since the last time I had felt any ounce of emotion. Even the smallest amount since the last time I was human. Resting my forearms on my knees, I lowered my head and closed my eyes.

"… I think I should remind you of a little something. Remind you of what and where you came from."

He had done exactly that. I was reminded of all the pain and suffering that I had endured when I was first a human. The loneliness, the sadness, and the emptiness. I had been reminded of all of it. Thinking back on all of it, I would be twenty-one in human years if I was correct.

I found myself opening my eyes when the rain suddenly stopped cascading down on me only to see a pair of feet before me. "Why do you care for my existence," I asked coldly.

"Why don't you," she asked. I could hear the worry edged into her voice. Straightening, I looked up at her. She was holding an umbrella over my head. "You can catch a cold out here, Ulquiorra."

"What is today's date?" To her the question would sound odd, because she didn't know my reasoning for asking it.

"Uh… today's October thirty-first. Halloween. Why?" Her head tilted to the side in curiosity.

I stood and proceeded to walk out of the park. Just as I thought. If today was October thirty-first then today… was my birthday.

And… the day that I had died.

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(A/N): Hope you liked it, so if you did, REVIEW. Let me know if I should post the second chapter. ;D And if you think its OOC, I don't care, because I'm trying to, slowly but gradually, portray his soft side.