Pairing: Ulquiorra x Orihime

Rating: PG – Gore

Synopsis: What if Orihime tried to stop Ichigo from delivering the final slice? She heals Ulquiorra with Shoten Kessu and repairs his organs and he LIIIVVVEEES. Picks up from chapter 351.

Disclaimer: I do not own bleach in any way, shape, or form.

Author's Note: So sorry for the mini-hiatus my darlings. I got a job, college is starting, and… I really don't know where I was originally going with this story. I'm trying my hardest to keep Ulquiorra in character and seeing where the manga leads to feed off of it.

"Boo!" – Speaking

'Boo!' – Thinking

BOO! – Sound Effects

-:-:-

"Arrancar, this is the last time I will say this! Tell me what you did to Inoue!" Inoue Orihime opened her eyes only to snap them shut again; the fake sun was to bright to look at.

"I will repeat myself as many times as necessary. I did not harm the woman."

Inoue winced; their raised voices were making her head pound. Uryū was almost yelling while Ulquiorra was speaking sternly and forcibly, almost mockingly. She began to sit up when she noticed that their yelling, thankfully, stopped. Her grey eyes flicked upwards to see Ulquiorra and Uryū staring down at her. The Quincy lowered his arms and the Espada kept his hands in his pockets.

"Inoue!" Uryū bent down to help Inoue to her feet, as she was shakily propping herself on her knees.

"I'm fine Ishida-kun, I can stand." She smiled up at her friend and glanced over to Ulquiorra; he was looking as indifferent as ever. Something about him seemed… almost different. He was looking at her, not glaring, sneering – simply looking.

"Is there something wrong Ulquiorra-san?" Inoue was used to the Espada studying her, even scrutinizing her. But he's never just looked at her. Ulquiorra just moved his eyes away from Inoue and glanced over the edge of the tower.

"Yami is fighting with two captains." As soon as the sentence ended, the tower violently shook.

"Inoue!" Uryū reached forward to stabilize the girl, but she was already having trouble staying upright. Just as Inoue's fingers were in the Quincy's grasp, she was no longer falling.

Inoue looked over her shoulder to see Ulquiorra standing behind her, bracing her. Not holding onto her or grasping her in anyway, just simply letting her lean against him for support. She smiled slightly, and he just looked at her.

"Woman, are you going to continue being weak, or are you going to move?" While most people would have taken that harshly, Inoue continued to smile. After spending so much time with Ulquiorra, she knew that his words held no real malice.

"Inoue," Uryū grabbed Orihime's wrist and pulled her over to his side, "Inoue, we can't trust him. He's an Arrancar! He's one of the bastards who kept you here for so long!"

"But Ishida-kun. Ulquiorra-san was the one who protected me the entire time I was here!" Inoue turned her large, glittering, grey eyes to look at him.

"He wasn't protecting you! He was your prison guard. He was there to make sure you didn't leave!"

"That may be, but I trust him and he protected me when that Spoon-man came into my room!"

"He was just-wait, what?" Uryū was stumped. He knew Hollows came in many shapes and sizes, but could they really look that similar to common utensils?

"Nnoitora Jiruga, the former Quinta Espada." Ulquiorra's tone was as flat as ever, but Inoue knew he found it slightly amusing. She couldn't explain how, but she just knew. Her grin widened again.

"Yes, that's it!" Orihime turned back to Uryū. "His collar was huge Ishida-kun! It went way above his head and was round!" She lifted her arms and framed her head.

Uryū just stared at Inoue. How could she trust an Arrancar? He was the one who brought her to Hueco Mundo in the first place! He yanked her to his side once again.

"Inoue, listen: You can't trust him! He was made by Aizen to fight us!" Uryū glared at Ulquiorra. "What were your orders concerning Inoue?"

"To keep her alive and useful to Aizen-Sama," Ulquiorra replied. Uryū turned his gaze back onto the ginger-haired girl.

"See Inoue, he only protected you because of orders! You mean nothing to him!"

Inoue gave a light smile to Ishida, gave a quick side glance to Ulquiorra before look at her friend.

"I know Ishida-kun, but he means something to me." Ulquiorra felt something stir within his chest. Whatever it was, it was small. But it was there.

"He will kill you if given the order!" Uryū was frustrated, and the frustration was turning to anger. Why can't she see that he could kill her at any point!

Inoue's eyes hardened.

"He could've but he didn't. Aizen changed the orders so he didn't have to protect me! Ulquiorra-san has saved me from Meloni, Loly, Yami, and Kuro…saki-kun…" Inoue's voice lowered as the reality of Ichigo attacking her set in. Ulquiorra's fingers twitched in his pockets.

Inoue pulled her wrist from Uryū's grasp and darted over to the Cuarto Espada. Slender arms made their way around a slim waist as a head full of long red hair pushed itself into the center of a lean chest.

Ulquiorra's eyebrows were raised, staring down at the girl while Ishida gaped at the girl. The warm feeling was back, like the time when Inoue had healed him and when his head was on her lap. But this time, it was much stronger.

"See Ishida-kun? If Ulquiorra-san wanted to, he could kill me right now," Inoue's voice was muffled by Ulquiorra's chest, tickling it with the heat of her breath. "I trust him."

'Is this woman clueless or just that stupid?' Ulquiorra was staring down at her with wide eyes. All he could see was red hair, but he could feel an ever growing warm spot on his chest. "Why didn't she run to her nakama?"

Ulquiorra slowly removed him hand from his pocket and let it hover the frail girl, unsure of what to do. Emerald eyes flicked over to the Quincy and saw that his jaw was agape, eyes wide, and shoulders slouch. A swell of pride grew in the Espada's chest at the human's dismay.

Slowly, the white hand settled itself on Inoue's head, offering what little comfort it held. Inoue's hands clenched at Ulquiorra's back.

"Woman, we must find Kurosaki." Uryū regained his composure.

"Why do you need to find Ichigo, Arrancar?" His eyes were still focused on Inoue, itching to get her back to his side. Ulquiorra removed his hand and placed it back in his pocket.

"I am now in the woman's debt."

Both Inoue and Uryu snapped their heads towards the Cuarto Espada.

"But Ulquirra-sa-'' The tower shook violently; but this time, it didn't stop.

-:-:-

ಠ_ಠ

I know, I know, it's been for-freaking-ever. But the damn manga won't show us what happened to Inoue!

Personally, I think it'd be really cool if all of the Espada were reborn in Soul Society. Like, the zanpakuto are supposedly to let spirits "rest" (send them to Soul Society) whether the Hollow is cut down or willingly obliged. And the Espada are still technically Hollows.

I think I'm going to have to make up a random ending, because I really don't know what to do right now. So I'm open to suggestions! Remember, I'm trying to keep Ulquiorra in character, but still be open to Inoue. Ya know?

I can't give you all an official "schedule" for updates. And for that, I'm deeply sorry. But I want to give you all the best stories I can and I feel that they won't be good enough for you if I rush them.

Please review and be patient while I try to think of more story!

xoxo Boww