Hello I'm back. I will not be quitting this story but I will only write on it when inspiration strikes. So yeah. It will be finished, when is the question. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It was greatly appreciated!

The tub used to be a place that Orihime used specifically to relax. She used to lay back and let the water swirl around her. That was before she was blind. The auburn haired lady curled further into herself and the grip on her knees tightened. She bit lip to try to stop the little hiccups that made ripples in the water from her quiet sobbing. It had just hit her like a ton of bricks. Ichigo was dead! He was really gone. There had been so many times that Ichigo had decided to disappear but despite this Orihime could always count on him returning.

Except this time.

If she focused enough she could imagine that this was one of those times. She could imagine that she just had her eyes closed and that she wasn't really blind. She could pretend that Ichigo was just off on a training weekend with his father or that he was on a secret mission. She tried to picture Ichigo in her mind but all the she could conjure up was the look of pure hated in the demon's eyes. The auburn haired lady gasped.

Why?

Why couldn't she see Ichigo as the way that he was before?

Was her mind so traumatized that she couldn't even remember who her love was?

The water cooled around her as she held onto her knees tighter. Ulquiorra had brought her back from Urahara's using his portal summoning ability. She hadn't even had time to argue that she would be perfectly fine on her own. Tessai did promise that he would call her friends but it was obvious that she needed to be cleaned up. She could imagine how disturbing the blood on her face must have looked. Her clothes had also been dyed red with the sea of blood that ran from her veins when she was hit. The lady took her left hand and tenderly ran her finger up her nose. She could feel the small chip that was out of it. She could imagine that it was hardly noticeable to the naked eye. The wound had felt much larger after she had been attacked. Unohana was a miracle worker.

After Ulquiorra had transported them to the apartment Orihime had done everything in her power to try to get her demonic caretaker to leave. Looking back on it shame welled within her. She had acted like a child trying to get the adult to let them do something dangerous. She had screamed at him to let her go, to go get Tatsuki and leave her alone. When that didn't work her anger had quickly faded into what could be called a helpless desperation. She sobbed as she blamed the demon for taking her beloved away while she slammed her small fists into his chest. The demon had picked her up without warning and had set her in the bathtub; clothes and all before she heard the footsteps getting weaker and the door close.

The woman had taken the hint and felt for the knob for the water. She was grateful that she was in her own house. While the new increase in senses and the darkness was terrifying the fact that she knew a small bit of where she was was a great comfort. Orihime had taken her clothes off. She knew they would need to be burned. There was no way the clothes could ever be worn again.

Orihime sighed as she picked up what she hoped was shampoo and began to wash her hair. She rolled the gel around in her fingers and began to wash her body, putting under stress on her nails. She simply couldn't get clean. Who was she kidding? Orihime knew that she was just as guilty as Ulquiorra for Ichigo's death. She might as well have signed the death certificate. This was what her attempts to help had brought.

It hadn't mattered either way. Ichigo remained dead all the same, at least Ulquiorra allowed him to die as the Ichigo she knew and loved. She would have preferred to have that memory of him as compared to the demonic version. The auburn haired lady scrubbed harder. She could feel the pain but she didn't care. She had to get clean! Her nails scrapped harshly over her breasts and down to her stomach. The red lines appeared on her skin a few seconds later.

Orihime let out a gasp of surprise as cold hands grabbed her own. She shivered in sudden fear. There was only one person she knew with hands like that.

"What are you doing?" The monotone voice asked. The lady held still as she tried to stop the shaking. She knew from experience that Ulquiorra wasn't going to let her go until he was ready too.

"Washing the blood off." The auburn haired lady stated as her unseeing eyes widened at the situation. She knew that Ulquiorra wasn't affected by her state of undress but that didn't make herself feel any better. This was so improper.

"I can see that and apparently mutilating yourself as well. Did you not see enough mutilation today in regards to the trash? Do you wish me to help you destroy yourself?" The fourth espada asked in a quietly forceful voice as he slightly increased the pressure on her hands that he held captive to show he was serious about his offer. Orihime winced as she quietly shook her head. The pressure instantly decreased.

"Do not try to kill yourself in a fit of misplaced emotion. The piece of trash knew what was in for him the second he decided to enter Los Noches. " Ulquiorra stated as he turned to leave.

"Be quiet! Ichigo is not and will not ever be trash! You're just jealous that you're not even half the man he is!" The footsteps stopped and all was silent in the apartment except for Orihime's harsh breathing.

"Interesting." The demon stated before he finished his methodological walk out of the bathroom. The lady let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. The bath ended quickly after that. She felt around in the darkness. There had to be a reason that Ulquiorra had decided to come in. Had he been watching her the whole time? That thought bordered on creepy.

The demon in question actually had been standing on the outside of the bathroom door all night. He hadn't been able to make heads or tail of this "human world" so far. Everything was so similar yet so different. The real reason he had come into the bathroom had been to see if she had tried to kill herself. It wouldn't do to have his main time consumer die, then he would be goal-less in an unfamiliar world.

It can be said that there are many types of personalities no matter which world a person inhabits. Ulquiorra was one of those entities whose existence depended on having an order to follow or something to do. He wasn't like Grimmjow, Zaraki, or Ichigo. Those people were the ones who did everything they could to disregard the rules. They didn't want praise, they simply wanted to disturb the natural order of things and make their own way.

The fourth espada was someone who needed to be told what to accomplish. He thrived on orders to follow. Ulquiorra knew that there was a natural order and he fully respected that. Now there was nothing for him. The leader that he had placed so much faith in was dead and he was left with nothing. The demon peaked into the bathroom and saw that his charge was now leaning out of the tub, carefully using both of her hands to feel on the ground.

Emerald green eyes took in the woman. There was no denying that she was beautiful despite her injury. Orange hair clanged to her pale skin, her breasts were on full display with the way she was leaning. Her nipples stood erect from the coolness from the room. Ulquiorra felt something akin to a shock run through him.

Odd.

This was his last mission. He could end her miserable existence anytime he chose. He refused to admit any kinship with the woman. At most there was tolerance. The healer had now managed to get out of the bathtub on wobbly legs. Water pooled around her feet as she tried to find the towels. The demon turned to get a towel.

Orihime stood shivering in what she knew to be the middle of her bathroom. She held her arms firmly around her breasts. She was beginning to get that feeling again, the feeling like she didn't know where she was. It was silly. She knew she was in the middle of the bathroom.

But what if she was wrong?

Orihime swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in her throat. She was not going to be afraid but she really wanted to get out of this room. She wanted to go to bed and deal with this later.

Escapism?

Yes.

But at the moment she didn't care. She could hear Ulquiorra's footsteps walking around in her apartment. Orihime bit her lip as she swallowed her pride and dignity. It was either this or walk around blind and naked trying to find a towel. It wasn't like the demon hadn't seen her naked before.

"Ulquiorra! I'm sorry to bother you but I need a towel." The lady timidly said in a louder voice than she usually used. She focused on the footfalls as they came closer to the door. It was easy to place the fourth espada even when she had her eyesight. She used to always be able to tell when he was about to enter. His stride had always been so full of purpose. The door opened and Orihime was surprised as a towel was wrapped around her. The unexpected silent action made her surge forward in an instinctive reaction. She felt her whole front part of her body (Thankfully towel covered) come into direct contact with the espada's chest. Her whole face heated up as she frantically tried to get away, which resulted in her nearly falling.

The demon blinked his eyes. This woman was strange, of course she always had been. She now had her arms out in an attempt to find balance while she desperately tried to hold up the towel by an alternation method. It took a few seconds but the lady regained balance.

"Ulquiorra?" Orihime questioned to the air around her. The demon stepped forward.

"What is it?" The espada asked. The lady looked embarrassed for a few seconds before asking.

"I want to put on some sleepwear and go to bed." The auburn haired lady muttered in a mildly defeated voice. One of the demon's eyebrow rose at the tone.

"I will do this for you now, but tomorrow we will start training you on how to do things for yourself. I have no intention of being your humbled servant." The fourth espada emotionlessly stated as he went to the closet and pulled out what looked like a very long shirt. Orihime tried to hide being startled as the towel was ripped away and the rough fibers began impassionately drying her off. She had never felt so humiliated and helpless. The fourth espada kept his hand firmly on her shoulder to keep her from accidentally falling.

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime responded; scandalized. She tried to focus on the cool hand to keep her grounded. She knew that if she lost focus she would be in the sense of confusion that she had yet to learn to live with.

"Arms up." A dispassionate voice ordered. The lady responded immediately as he arms rose to the sky. She felt the fabric slide down her arms. A breath of relief escaped her now that she was clothed. There was not any time for her to adjust as she was picked up, brought to her room, and put down on the futon.

The blind woman struggled to get her barings before arranging herself in the bed. She heard the demon sit down at the opposite side of the room. This was different, before when she had been at Los Noches her caretaker had only come in when she needed to be fed or to give her a change of clothes. She sighed as she pulled the blankets over her head. She hated today.

"Good night Ulquiorra." The blind lady quietly stated.

"Hm." The demon responded. Orihime tried to get comfy and prepared for a night of terrifying dreams to add to her terrifying reality.

Little did they know that while the fairy user was trying to go to sleep, Ishida was beginning to awaken to a nightmare of his own.