Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, some other dude, Tite Kubo does. First time attempting Fanfiction, so bear with me. I typed most of the first two chapters up at the same time, and just finished making a few, editorial changes. Please leave me a review if you enjoy (or hate).

Chapter 2 – The Fortress of Solitude

How long had she been running through the cacophony of thoughts inside her mind? It seemed like an eternity, but it couldn't have been more than a few hours. Looking out the window, as she had found herself doing so often since she came here, gave her no comfort.

She had been able to sense the spiritual pressure of Nnoitra after Ulquiorra had left, though she didn't look forward to having to face him again, she thought to herself: I'm thankful that no one has gotten hurt because of me. But even those words, she used to believe with all of her heart, sounded hollow. Was it Hueco Mundo that made everything seem so empty?

She had been brought a fresh change of clothes shortly after the incident with Nnoitra by one of the Arrancar girls. It had been delivered it to her chambers along with simple toiletries, undoubtedly taken from the human world.

The spacious suite left nothing to be desired and she had hurriedly stripped and showered in the simple bathroom adjoining her chambers. The thought of Nnoitra's return, ensured she spent as little time in a compromising position as was possible. She had even been forced to strip away the last of her clothes from the human world: her undergarments replaced by a thin, camisole-like slip beneath her dress.

As she goes about her tasks thoughts run through her mind, she's in a dark place now and her only hope for salvation is a creature at least as dark as the place she's found herself. But somehow she can't get the images of him out of her mind… even that dark reiatsu had burned itself into her, it was like she could still feel it, writhing against her own. She knows there's something remarkable in him, but it's that despair… such a deep loneliness that makes her heart ache for him. I'll show him, I'll make him see! She doesn't know it, but a smile breaks on her lips as she considers how incredible it would be to show something so twisted, what it meant to be human again.

She had told him she would teach him to feel it. But how could you teach someone so far removed from the concept? What he had said was true, he was a hollow, and he had spent centuries, maybe even millennia hunting souls, devouring them to fill that void in him. How could a heart survive such a callous fight for survival? The thought demanded an answer and she knew in her own that it couldn't have. His heart would have been destroyed long ago in that primal struggle. It would have to be resurrected in order for him to understand, and the only way that could happen, she reasoned: is if he was shown love, unconditional.

It's wasn't so much a decision for her as it became an imperative. And at the same time it struck her she sensed that reiatsu again unfurled like some mythical dragon. Ulquiorra had begun releasing an impressive amount of energy. A sudden urgency came over her, and for the first time since she had gotten to Las Noches, she left her room of her own volition, padding hurriedly down the hall.

She didn't know the layout of the Espada's fortress, but her keen sense of spiritual pressure led her true. She takes a few turns down stark and barren corridors trying to head towards the disturbance. All the while, she can feel white hot pulses of reiatsu from Ulquiorra, Nnoitra, and a third, weaker Arrancar. She hurries, running down a long flight of stairs until she bursts into a large, ornate hall full of imposing pillars. In the middle of this hall stood Nnoitra, Tesra, and Ulquiorra, squaring off on opposite ends of a large circular area. Tesra was already in his Resurrección form, a hulking warthog-like beast that more resembled a traditional hollow. But he was also gravely wounded, having fallen to one knee, bleeding profusely from his side. Even as he clutches his wounded side Tesra spits angrily at his Espada's opponent.

Nnoitra holds Santa Teresa steadily, the Quinto Espada looking slightly battered from his earlier run in with Ulquiorra, but certainly still very dangerous. The glare in his eye locked piercingly on Ulquiorra even as he speaks to Tesra.

"You fool, I told you not to interfere!" Nnoitra hisses angrily at his subordinate, sounding genuinely upset by Tesra's impulsiveness. It's something that takes Orihime off-guard and for a moment makes her question even that brute's motivations.

"I am sorry master!" Tesra grunts, laboring to speak. He's been badly wounded and Orihime can tell that if he doesn't get help he may not recover at all. She knows she should feel pity for him, but try as she might, she can't find anything in her heart for either of them.

Ulquiorra stands idly, watching both of them. His clothes are torn, and singed at the edges. A small trickle of blood runs down his sword arm where most of his jacket has been blown away. He holds Murciélago in his hand while the other one remains casually in his pocket. He's injured already and Orihime feels a sudden pang in her stomach, desperately wishing to ease his suffering.

"What do you hope to accomplish here Nnoitra? Do you not realize the futility in challenging my authority?" He spoke without hurry, voice calm and distant. But it was clear that his focus was on Nnoitra, an opponent dangerous enough to have warranted taking Murciélago from its sheath.

"Lord Aizen left me in charge of Las Noches in his absence. I am the highest ranked Espada in Hueco Mundo…" He states matter-of-factly, though now he can sense Orihime nearby and silently curses that impetuous woman for coming so close to the fight. If he's forced to engage Nnoitra while the other Espada is able to use Orihime for leverage, the girl might very well be killed in the process. He realizes then that he only has a moment to act before Nnoitra becomes aware of her presence, if he hasn't already.

He had been ready to talk Nnoitra down after the sneak attack had forced him to draw his weapon. It was utterly pointless to engage in such a frivolous fight, over a human female. And though he had been attempting to avoid having to kill a fellow Espada, that all vanished in a heartbeat. He knew that if the Quinto Espada got the chance, he wouldn't hesitate to use Orihime to gain the upper hand in the fight. The thoughts roll smoothly, and the decision comes almost without hesitation.

Ulquiorra bursts forward with his sonido, Nnoitra had been about to reply to his words, but the sudden attack forces him to block a precisely aimed swing with Santa Teresa. As he knocks Nnoitra back, Ulquiorra now stands between Tesra and Nnoitra, and the Quinto Espada realizes it too late: he wasn't the target of Ulquiorra's attack. There is nothing Nnoitra can do to stop it as the bright green flash, turns to a pillar of pure reiatsu and consumes Tesra whole. With a hoarse cry the Arrancar is reduced to smoldering ash, a blackened scar on the floor all that remains.

"You Bastard!" Nnoitra screams bursting with rage, rearing back and swinging his weapon in a mighty arc. It impacts Murciélago, and sends Ulquiorra flying backwards, whose hand has already returned to his pocket. He levels his body horizontally to catch himself with his feet against one of the sizable pillars, the stone cracking in a spider web as Ulquiorra tenses, and rockets himself back towards Nnoitra. Their blades meet in a clash that splits the air, and sends shockwaves resounding outwards. The Cuatro and Quinto Espada hold their weapons trembling lightly against the combined strength of that impact as Nnoitra spits at him.

"You are going to pay for that Ulquiorra!" Nnoitra declares as his mouth opens and his tongue lolls out. Ulquiorra's eyes widen as the golden swirl of Nnoitra's Cero manifests itself on the tip of that extended tongue. Ulquiorra's sonido allows him to dash out of the way at just the last second as the cero demolishes a path through the room, leaving a smoking crater in a wall opposite the stairs Orihime had come down. As Ulquiorra comes to a stop from his high speed maneuver he is immediately attacked by Santa Teresa, parrying so that it glances off his blade and spinning to deliver a powerful kick to Nnoitra's midsection. The blow sends the Quinto Espada flying to impact another of the pillars in a cloud of dust and debris. The follow up is en-route even before Nnoitra is standing, barely managing to escape as Ulquiorra's Cero cleaves through the dust, cutting a hole through the cloud before blasting it away completely.

Ulquiorra leaps in with a deadly swing which Nnoitra catches, and with a burst of reiatsu he throws Ulquiorra off balance. Taking advantage of the moment, this time Nnoitra moves with a purpose. Having recently become aware of Orihime he leaps towards her with a deadly gleam in his eye. Santa Teresa cleaves through the air as the startled woman gasps and barely has enough time to summon her Shun-Shun Rikka, but that wicked blade shatters her Santen Kesshun almost without effort. And time seems to freeze in a single, horrifying moment before a blur of white intercepts the blow.

She stares, a softly uttered "No!" the only thing she can manage. Ulquiorra, having to sacrifice stance and strength, for speed has found himself under the blade. His hierro having lessened the damage from the Zanpakuto now carved into his shoulder. As blood flows freely from the wound he grunts, listening as Nnoitra growls with delight.

"Now, you're mine!" Again the Espada's tongue lolls out the number five clearly tattooed on it, the golden glow of his Cero forming at the tip. Nnoitra doesn't see it until the last second, until Ulquiorra turns slightly with his free hand extended, his own Cero already about to burst. And just a moment before both of those powerful beams erupt against their targets, His deep green eyes to turn Orihime and he growls to her softly.

"Shield yourself."

She responds to that order without thought.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" she barely manages to cry as her triangular barrier forms just a moment before the two Ceros impact. The gold and green swirling around each other in a rising pillar before they explode in a massive shockwave. The wind breaking around her as smoke and debris whirl past her shield, her dress and jacket whipping violently in the rush of air. She can see both of the Espada thrown in opposite directions from each other and anxiously calls after her defender when he lands.

The smoking room lay in ruins, the pillars near the center all but wiped away as an ominous creaking can be heard from the walls of Las Noches. Orihime pads quickly towards where Ulquiorra is slowly picking himself up. He falters once, using the tip of Murciélago to steady himself and stand tall once again. As she comes running over, fear in her eyes, there is also something else, for a moment it looks as if she is elated to seem him standing.

"Ulquiorra!" she cries out, coming to a dead stop as his hand rises to ward her off.

"Get out of here woman! Are you trying to get us both killed?" Despite his injuries, despite the seriousness of the conflict he's found himself in, he sounds as calm, and distant as ever, reprimanding her as one might scold an errant child.

Unbidden, a smile graces her lips, even with his coldness, and that aloof demeanor she couldn't have been happier to hear him speak. She's about to reply to him when it happens.

Her eyes widen, seeing Nnoitra break through the dust, suspended for a moment as his Santa Teresa heads directly for the back of Ulquiorra's head. That animalistic grin plastered on his face as he sees the moment of victory at hand. Orihime doesn't think, a heated determination rises in her as she puts up her hands, and speaks the words.

"Koten Zanshun, I reject!"

The attack power of Tsubaki having always been linked to her focus, and her resolve to inflict grievous bodily harm; had always prevented her from using him effectively. The little sprite often berated her for how soft she was against her enemies.

But today, something had changed in Inoue. Today, Tsubaki would be pleased, and probably a little mortified by the strength of Orihime's will. As she saw Ulquiorra about to be dealt a finishing blow years of repressed guilt and anger came springing to the surface. How many friends had she seen get cut down trying to protect her? How many times had she been unable to help them, simply because she was too weak, too weak to kill her enemies? Not this time! She didn't know where it came from, but a sudden, cold determination guided Tsubaki to her target.

Both of the Espada, locked in a life or death struggle as they were well accustomed to were completely unprepared for what happened. The little winged imp split from her Shun-Shun Rikka and immediately streaked towards his target. Enveloped in a golden light, he resembles a flaming spear streaking with incredible speed at Nnoitra.

Already completely committed to his attack, he's unable to stop it as Tsubaki impacts him solidly in the chest, and a bright flash of light in the form of a triangle lances through Nnoitra. It splits Santa Teresa clean in two, and sends the Quinto Espada tumbling back.

Ulquiorra's stares back at Orihime, wide eyed and unmoving, trying to make sense of what had just happened. A look of shock is plastered on his face, and if it weren't for the grave nature of their engagement, Orihime might have laughed delightedly at the sight of it. She feels a wave of elation, a sudden and powerful sense of accomplishment as she turns the tide definitively in Ulquiorra's favor. And she realizes, that she can't ever remember feeling quite so powerful!

Ulquiorra forces his eyes to tear away from that enigmatic female as he hears Nnoitra stir. He moves with a burst of sonido to stand before the now kneeling Espada.

. "Damn you!" Nnoitra gurgles angrily. He spits up blood as he doubles over, the handle of his weapon still clutched in his hand.

"Damn you!" this time it's an angered howl and his hand desperately grasps his weapon. He's about to speak, the command right on his tongue: Pray… Santa Teresa! But he can't even get the words out. Murciélago's tip rests at the curve of his throat, the edge so intimately nuzzled against his hierro that the slow gulp of apprehension causes Ulquiorra's sword to dig in painfully.

"Don't you dare go into Resurrección; I will slay you before you even have the chance. You have lost Nnoitra. Do not make me destroy you." His words are cold, unfeeling and his eyes reflect those same qualities as they stare Nnoitra down.

"You fool; you think we can just walk away from this? You think this is over?" Nnoitra spits at him again, loathing in his eyes as blood leaks from the corners of his mouth.

"This will never be over Ulquiorra, you and your new pet whore are dead! I will watch you suffer for this, I will see your body smoldering at my feet I-…." He doesn't finish.

Murciélago slashes sharply to one side, a sickening gurgle coming from Nnoitra. In the same smooth motion, Ulquiorra's body twists and his other hand swings around. His fingertip presses right at the hollow of Nnoitra's gushing throat. The Quinto Espada is frozen in place, unable to do anything as the cero erupts. It's concentrated force cutting a hole directly through Nnoitra. His eyes are wide, shocked and lifeless as he collapses to one side, smoke rolling from the hole in his chest. A second later his body and his weapon disintegrate into ash.

Ulquiorra turns his blade and sheaths it wearily, the damage he sustained in the fight more than enough to have weakened him considerably. He turns to see Orihime running at him and his eyes narrow. He's about to berate her, the condescension in his tone carefully prepared to cut her apart. He's prepared to watch her eyes well those tears he's become so fond of seeing. He prepared to see her deny the truth that: no matter what there is no hope. To try and defy a rule that he knew only too well.

But what he's not prepared for is the feel of her body wrapping around his. Her arms slinging around his shoulders as her face buries against his neck. Her breasts crushed against the smooth hard lines of his chest, a soft cushion between their bodies that only seems to encourage her to try and seal that gap. And again his eyes go wide, a soft grunt escaping his lips as for second time in as many minutes, a look of genuine shock took hold of his features, both at the hands of this infernal woman.

"I'm so happy you're okay!" her words sang true. For a while she had wondered if she even could show him the love that he needed to see. But something had opened up inside her. She knew in her heart that she could show him what he needed to see, and she had made up her mind, her resolve now sealed by their struggle together.

Ulquiorra, thoroughly unsettled by the embrace, could feel her, all of her. From the soft warm breath on his neck, to the gentle curves that now pressed intimately against his form. He was powerless for a moment, and it immediately reminded him of the moment earlier when he'd caught Nnoitra off guard while that despicable Espada was molesting Orihime. If he were to be caught at a moment like this, he would be just as vulnerable.

His hand deftly insinuating itself between their bodies he briskly shoves her back, watching her stumble several steps with a look of surprise on her face. He glares at her scornfully before he finally responds to her.

"What you did back there, I did not think you had it in you to kill."

He stuffed his hand back in his pocket, wincing before turning partially away from her. Orihime took a deep breath, for a moment she had felt something from him. It wasn't warmth, in the traditional sense of the word, but it wasn't nearly so cold. He had let her hold onto him for several moments, and she had heard his sharp intake of breath when her body was against his.

She extends both of her hands, palms facing towards him and the amber glow of her Sōten Kisshun envelopes Ulquiorra's battered body. As she begins to erase the damage done to him her eyes drop to the floor and it's some time before she speaks.

"I had to protect you. All this time here, you've just been trying to protect me." She states this with a soft, measured tone. As his eyes examine her he realizes something has changed in her. The pure gold of her healing aura flickers here and there with traces of violet.

"I am the one that brought you here, or have you forgotten that if it weren't for me, you would never have been forced to abandon you friends, your home?" His glare contains no animosity. It's a cold harsh stare that she can feel dissecting her and it sends a shiver along her spine. Even his words, their sharp edge and condescension aren't enough to change how she feels.

"Then I should thank you." She whispers softly, working diligently to undo the damage wrought on his form. She looks away for a few moments and then finally turns her gaze back up to his. She speaks with a calm clarity that seems to defy her situation.

"I was holding them back. I was a liability to them. But I won't be for you. I will do whatever it takes." It's almost musical. The soft promise seems to speak to him on levels he had never considered. He looks down, before looking back up at her. He sees then the bruises he'd left on her wrist, and for a moment was taken aback, forcing him to question her.

"Your wrist, you rush to heal an enemy holding you in bondage, but you do not even bother to heal yourself? Why?" He finds he can't move while he's enveloped in her healing shell. Or more accurately he could, but he doesn't want to guess at how much reiatsu he would have to expend to negate it.

"Why haven't you healed your wrist yet?" He demands again softly, idly wondering if he'll have to beat it out of her. The marking on her flesh looked tender and he had no doubt that it was still causing her to suffer. Why would she refrain from healing herself?

It wasn't like she didn't have time, she would have been able to repair such a minor wound within moments while she was alone in her room, but she didn't.

Finally she whispers to him, "You are not my enemy." Still she didn't answer, and the words alone wouldn't have been enough to shake him, but she looks full into his eyes, and speaks to him with that damned certainty she seems to be so fond of. It stills his tongue and for a while, all he can do is think.

After some time, the envelope of her restorative energy dissipates and he is left completely restored, even his jacket having been repaired by her technique. He admires her work again a moment before he turns to face her, realizing that she's again moving into him. This time, despite the slowness of her approach, he can't stop her. He wants to, part of him wants to give her the back of his hand for having the impudence to approach him twice in such a fashion, but he can't. Her arms slip between his arms, and his sides, cinching around his waist. Her head bowed down, seemingly so submissive even in what can only be describe as an aggressive embrace. Once again she tucks her face against his neck and slips her voluptuous form tightly against his.

"Thank you for saving me, Ulquiorra." She whispers to him softly, her breath washing across the smooth skin of his neck. His body suddenly intensely aware of her, even more so than the first time she'd embraced him so impulsively. This time he could feel the pulse of her being, her delicate, but frighteningly deep well of reiatsu. It was something that he had examined in detail, but had never actually looked at before now. It flows from her like a warm, bathing light, not unlike the sun from the human world. It's new and darker tinge only making it all the sweeter to him.

Orihime couldn't be sure what had made her do what she had done. It had all happened so fast. She had always felt close to her friends, she had always wanted to please and protect them, but it was merely a shadow compared to what she felt now. And here she was, openly wrapping herself around the Cuatro Espada. A being that's cruelty and merciless power could easily have been responsible for the deaths of any of those she cared for. But something about it just felt right, and she couldn't resist the urge. The words he speaks next sending inexplicable shivers through her.

"I am the Master of you here Orihime Inoue. I control whether you live, or die. Whether you suffer or exist in peace. It is shameful that I should have to exert myself to defend you." He moves his hand back between them again with the intent of pushing her away, but his hand gets sidetracked, slipping over her hip to rest at the small of her back. He's not sure exactly how it happens, but once it's there he can't imagine pulling it back. It's not until that image of Nnoitra compromised once again reminds him of exactly how vulnerable they are. He slowly forces himself to step away from her, with her taking a step back as well, head bowed as she holds her hands demurely in front.

"Please forgive me, Master Ulquiorra." She says it softly, her voice quiet and polite. As he looks over her he knows he should be angry, that she should be cowering before him, but the words on her lips defuse him and he can only blink slowly, savoring them. This change in her, confusing him to no end, that sullen, detached apathy now seemingly replaced by some sort of drive, a passion that animates her body and soul.

"Heal yourself Orihime; Lord Aizen's property must not be damaged when he returns." It's a simple order, and it leaves no room for discussion. She summons her Sōten Kisshun and immediately begins to heal her wrist. She keeps her eyes down as he watches her, the thought springing unbidden to her mind, No, not Lord Aizen's... yours. Even though he can't read her, he feels her conviction, her renewed sense of purpose. Is this what she's speaking of when she mentions her heart? He must know the answer, and she will be true to her word: she will teach him! But now he knows he cannot dissect her to find it, he will have to let her show him what it is that drives her… And once she has shown me her heart, I will truly be able to break her.

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