A/N: Yeah, just noticed how how linear this story runs with We Were One lol I think I even used some of the same lines. Last time I type two stories at the same time.

That night occurred a few months ago to this day.

It took them all night to say goodbye when it came time for them to depart from one another. She remembered his reluctance to leave that night but the hesitation he had for being late for his duties. It was always a mix of conflict when it came down to their wants and needs, which were always overshadowed by their overlaying responsibilities. Both of them were too headstrong and loyal to even think about disobeying their reigning Espadas, which is why they always spent the early morning hours trying hard to say goodnight all the while avoiding a goodbye.

That was also the night that Apache wouldn't forgive her for because they apparently sounded like 'two ravage animals attempting to crossbreed' all night long. Those were her words exactly. The woman always had a way of… describing situations.

But it was that night that now brought her here.

"Lady Harribel. Can we talk?"

She watched as the blonde-haired Espada paused in what she had been doing and turned back at her question. Her hands slowly setting aside a stack of papers that had been preoccupying her attention until now. For a moment, she felt frozen on the spot under those blue eyes.

"What is it?"

But it was her soft tone that slowly reassured her and helped to loosen up her tight nerves a bit as a long, quiet sigh left her lips. "It's… I wanted to speak to you about Tesla."

Those blue eyes now narrowed slightly as she brought her arms up to cross underneath her breasts. "Did he hurt you?"

The question caught her slightly off-guard but the stern tone in the woman's voice… she knew the Espada wasn't going to take the answer lightly, which is why she had to word it carefully. "What? No." she answered quickly before the urge and curiosity to question the woman's words was too much to conquer. "Why… why would you ask that?"

"Because, you are my Fracción, Mila Rose, and I won't stand for anyone or anything that would compromise your well being- no matter his significance to you." Harribel spoke swiftly but with the undertone of a softer message. "Whether you pity him or not."

The words came across as hard but she knew the woman meant well. With how life in Hueco Mundo had been… she was just being protective of them. She had always been and always will be, regardless of the situations. It was comforting to know that should anything happen, Lady Harribel would be there for them in a seconds notice but… that wasn't what she needed right now. That certainly wasn't what she wanted to talk about. "I-… this has nothing to do with pity, Lady Harribel."

"Then what? What is it about him that you feel needs to be brought to my attention?" Harribel asked; watching as the Fracción member seemed almost less than enthusiastic to talk to her about it now. "You know I can't do anything about him, right? Whether this is or is not about how his status as a Fracción is treated-"

Here was the moment of truth. No backing out now.

The words that she had rehearsed earlier seemed to blur from her memory and left her stumbling slightly for an answer or at least the introduction of one. She drew in a long breath and held it in her chest before she released it in just a few words. "I'm pregnant."

There was no doubt about the woman's reaction as her arms dropped clean back to her sides; those blue eyes showed a small hint of surprise as they widened just slightly. Just those two words alone were enough to cause an unknowing amount of silence between them as she waited hesitantly for the woman to response; feeling widely uncomfortable and vulnerable in the thick silence.

"I…" the Espada tried to start.

"He's the father."

Those three words seemed even more difficult for the woman to handle as she leaned slightly back against the table behind her; one hand moved to carefully massage the space between her eyes while the other one kept a firm and sturdy grip on the table's edge.

"Lady Harribel?"

"I… are you sure?" the words seemed to struggle to free themselves from the blonde-haired Espada as her overall body position and expression gave away her continuing sense of surprise.

"Yes." she nodded.

"And he's the-"

"Yes."

She watched as her reigning Espada fell silence once more and moved her hand to cover her eyes completely in thought. As much as she tried, the continuing feeling of vulnerability welled up in her body and coursed the sense of discomfort throughout her blood. Concerned with how the woman was silent in taking the full news, she slowly stepped forward to get closer to her.

"Lady?"

"Mila Rose, are you aware of the difficulties and the position you just put not only yourself in, but myself as well?"

"It's not like we intended this, Lady Harribel." she quickly defended; stopping slightly when those blue eyes locked onto hers once more. "Do you think I would be reckless enough to do this on purpose? Do you think I would be careless enough to know what this might do to him and still go through with it? Lady Harribel, I… if you want me to change this, then I will." her voice and tone dropped drastically at the last sentence but she didn't dare drop her eye contact with the Espada.

The drop didn't go unnoticed as the Espada looked back to her. "I can't…"

"Lady Harribel, my needs come secondary to yours." she started. "I hold your opinion above my own. All you have to do is say the word and-"

She stopped in mid-sentence as she watched the woman push herself from the table and moved to close the space between them; her hands hatched roughly onto her jaw before the touch instantly softened just seconds later. "I will not tolerate this kind of view. This is between you and him; my or anyone else's involvement in this is secondary to none and should be seen as such. I cannot allow for you to harm yourself just because of my reaction… that would not be fair to him."

"Y-yes ma'am." she stammered slightly before the woman released her. "I… I should probably go to speak with him."

"Does he at least know?" Harribel questioned.

"Yes, he was the first person I told." Mila Rose nodded; part of her slightly hesitant in telling the reigning Espada that she had been holding something out on her but the woman seemed to handle it fairly well.

"He didn't come with you?"

"I didn't tell him I was going to speak with you today."

Harribel nodded. "And I thank you for that however… I believe it would be in your best interest if you were to remain inside for the next few days on a minor lockdown."

"What? Why?"

The Espada sighed and placed a hand on her darker shoulder. "Because, Mila Rose, I don't believe the other half is going to be pleased with this kind of news and as I said before, I cannot allow for anything or anyone to compromise your physical health… any more than it already has been."

"I understand Lady Harribel but I was hoping to see him again today and-"

"Mila Rose, I'm going to try my best to avoid any intervention at this point and in doing so, it would be better for me to handle it when I know exactly where you are. I know it seems unfair and I apologize for the strict actions but… for now, I ask that you listen to me and follow my orders."

"… Yes, Lady Harribel."

XXX

He held her for the longest time as they both stood out in the nighttime desert. She had her hands curled into his back; bundling the white material of his uniform between her fingers. Her head was tucked into his shoulder as she slowly drew in and released his scent. It didn't feel real. Her entire body felt numb and… empty.

This couldn't be happening.

It was impossible.

"Talk to me." he whispered; hands slowly caressing the soft flesh of her back. "Say something."

"I can't…" she started. "If I talk about it… it turns into reality."

He stopped for a moment before he carefully tightened his arms and pulled her in closer. It was dangerous. This situation put them both in a predicament and more than likely it would backfire on one of them or both. But… that didn't stop him from thinking about it. "A reality I'd like to see."

Her fingers dug in deeper at his words before she slowly pushed herself from him; her eyes searching for his own, which seemed to be purposely trying to avoid her. "What did you say?"

"I…"

She released her hands from him completely and watched as he seemed lost without some form of contact between them. "Maybe you're the one who should talk to me."

"You and I both know what this could do." he started; keeping his voice low as though in the miles of emptiness around them, there was someone eavesdropping on their conversation. "It's dangerous and… I can't exactly predict what reactions would be to it. But somehow that doesn't stop me from being curious about it… I'm sorry."

"Don't be…" she replied as she reached out and carefully took his hands into her own. "I guess it would be a lie to say I haven't done the same. It's… dangerous but exhilarating at the same time. I'm not sure if I can correctly explain it but… I want to live that reality too."

xxx

The afternoon hour found her lounging about in her bed. Partly engulfed by pillows, she stared out at the blank wall in front of her; watching for nothing in particular, other than some way to talk herself out of this 'lockdown' Lady Harribel put her on. It would be pointless to argue it though. She knew exactly why she did it and she knew it was safer to just stay here, where Lady Harribel had a better chance at protecting her. The problem more than likely lied with Nnoitra, which really no one could argue that as a fact. He would probably be less than… thrilled about the news and that in itself may or may not trigger some kind of outburst. Hence why Lady Harribel would want her here under some kind of supervision, not to mention Nnoitra wouldn't dare show up here- unless he was looking for a confrontation, which actually he probably would be.

But damnit, she just wanted to go out and see him at least one more time before Lady Harribel got serious about this- not to say that she wasn't already. Why separate her from the father of her child? It wasn't like he would do anything threatening towards her, but then again it always came back to the whole Nnoitra thing. Letting a long, dragged sigh, she stretched slightly across the sheets and made the move to slowly rotate her body in the other direction; just barely turning in time to see the figure in midair above her. The bed squeaked harshly at the sudden weight and the countered force just about tossed her over the edge and to the floor; she barely managed to catch herself on the bedside table to prevent herself from falling completely.

"Apache!" she shouted; rolling back in time to slam the toe of her foot into the other woman's abdomen. She watched as the shorter woman was easily kicked off the bed and listened to the sound of her body striking the floor with enough force to cause her to bounce slightly. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I couldn't remember the last time your bed was so quiet so I thought someone died in it." the woman spat as she carefully picked herself up from the floor; one hand rubbed at the sore spot at the back of her skull. "What the fuck is your deal?"

"Imbecile." SunSun muttered from the doorway.

"You shut up! You're going to be next!" Apache snapped.

Mila Rose snorted at the two as she pushed herself up from her now messed up bed. "What do you want?"

"Oh you know, I'm just bored and Lady Harribel isn't in." Apache answered sarcastically.

"I am going to wring your little throat."

SunSun rolled her eyes slightly. "Lady Harribel has advised us to stay in while she went to handle something. We were curious by the command but she wouldn't tell us before she left, so we thought that you might know something."

"Yeah well… that's stupid to think." Mila Rose muttered.

"You're lying." Apache sneered.

"And you're stupid."

"I'm going to punch you in the face!"

"You don't come anywhere near me." Mila Rose warned; watching as the deer seemed to stiffen at the words but kept that sneer of hers. She glanced over to SunSun for a moment before she turned her eyes away from both of them. "Yeah, I might know… 'something' about it. So what?"

"Well you know something that we don't know and… we would like to know… preferably now." Apache advised.

"It's… it's a long story."