When Orihime got back to class early, she wasn't entirely sure why. Nor was she sure why she had walked past the auditorium and every other spot that was within walking distance of the classroom. They were all deserted. So she had headed to the classroom, figuring that maybe he had stayed there. Or if not, he would need some kind of help when he got back. In a horribly twisted sort of way, she had been right. Ulquiorra was in there, just not in any way that she would ever want to see him.

For a moment Orihime was paralyzed, staring helplessly at the body sprawled out on the floor.

"Ulquiorra," she breathed.

Her eyes widened before her body suddenly jerked into action. She turned around and slammed the door behind her, locking it. She ran across the room to where Ulquiorra was laying sprawled on his side. Carefully she rolled him onto his back and pressed her hand to his chest. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest and the fluttering of his heart under her hand. Reaching up she grabbed his schoolbag and rummaged through it until she found the cell phone. Flipping it open she punched in Urahara's number, she dropped back to the ground next to him. She pressed her ear to the phone as it rang.

"Urahara," she gasped, "Urahara! I just found Ulquiorra. He's collapsed--he's burning up--I don't know what to do!'

"Its alright," Urahara said slowly, "I was afraid of this happening," he continued, "I need to examine him. Can you get him to the shop?"

"Yes," Orihime said looking at him.

"Get him here as quickly as you can," he said.

Orihime nodded, closing the phone and putting it near him. She jumped to her feet and ran over to the door, unlocking it and yanking it open. She raced out of the room and down the hall as fast as she could. She shoved people out of the way, she sidestepped others as well. Her eyes scanned the hallways as she ran downstairs to the place where she knew Tatsuki and Uryuu were eating. Sure enough nearby them was the person she was really looking for. She skidded to a stop, gasping for air from her run.

"Sado! Sado you need to come with me--its Ulquiorra. Something's happened he's in the classroom, Urahara says he needs to come into the shop but I can't get him there--"

Sado nodded and got to his feet following her out of the room. They headed up the stairs and towards the room. Orihime threw open the door as she and Sado hurried inside. They both moved towards the body on the ground. Sado lowered himself towards the man, looking at his slight form. They heard voices and footsteps approaching. Orihime spun towards the clock, her eyes wide as she took in the time. it was almost time for class. She looked at Sado who picked Ulquiorra's body up and slung it over his shoulder. Orihime grabbed his bag and phone before picking up hers and Sado's as well. He looked at her but she met his gaze. Consequence or no she was going with them Sado turned his head and hurried out of the room. She hurried with him as they went to the hallways quickly, ignoring the few strange looks they got. They got to Urahara's quickly. The blond man was waiting for them, doors opened already.

"Bring him in," he said low and quick, "come on," he continued leading them through the shop to the back room and opening the door, "down here, we need to get him contained."

Sado moved one hand around Ulquiorra and moved down the ladder with him still slung over his shoulder. Orihime followed him with Urahara going down last. Urahara slid the floor closed over their heads and locked it. He descended the ladder with them. He motioned them over to the work area and had Sado lay Ulquiorra onto the table. He didn't stir, not once, not even when Sado stepped back and he was on the cold examining table. Orihime's fingers tightened on the handles of the case as she looked at Urahara who was checking machine read outs, his brow furrowed.

"What's going on?" Orihime demanded, her voice high and anxious.

"Spiritual Pressure," Urahara told her looking at one of the read outs, "the machines have recorded minor fluctuations but this is a major one. His Power is almost non-existant right now."

Orihime felt her stomach drop as she looked at Ulquiorra. He looked so odd laying there and Orihime realized it was the first time she had seen him with his eyes closed, first time she had seen him completely defenseless. She didn't like it. Not one bit. He didn't look in control, he didn't look cool and collected or even like he did in those rare moments when his control was compromised. He just looked like anything in the world could hurt him. Orihime wanted to shake him and wake him up somehow but she knew it wasn't possible. Instead she tore her eyes away and looked at Urahara.

"Is there a way to fix it?" Sado asked.

"No," Urahara said.

"There has to be something! He just collapsed!" her voice pitched as she looked at him again.

"This is probably his body adjusting," Urahara said, "Hollows aren't meant to live in this world for extended periods of time. Its why they're cannibalistic, they need extensive amounts of Spirit Particles. Hueco Mundo is designed to sustain them, this world isn't."

"B-but--" Orihime felt her throat tighten, "he's been fine."

"He's been consuming large amounts of food and that's been working--for now. But it isn't what he is designed to survive off of," he looked at Ulquiorra, "his body might be rejecting it."

"He collapsed at the start of lunch," Sado said.

"And he missed breakfast," Urahara realized aloud, "his body might not be rejecting the method after all--he just didn't use it. Not eating and fighting Hollows might have exhausted him," he looked at Orihime, "we need to get Ryuuken here. If this is him needing food then he can help."

"How can he help?" she questioned sharply.

"He needs food and he isn't going to be able to eat. We need to find another way to get the calories in him. Ryuuken can help," Orihime opened her mouth, "I'm not involving Isshin in this."

"Here," Orihime said grabbing the phone, "here, call him," she looked at Ulquiorra and handed Urahara the phone, "hold on Ulquiorra."


Orihime wrapped her arms around herself against the chill in the night air.

Ryuuken had come without a word and begun to work, kicking them all out for whatever he was going to do. It had been hours and there had been no word from him. Urahara had gone down but he had refused to let Orihime or Sado do the same thing. So they had been waiting in the shop, wondering if Ulquiorra was going to be alright or not. After two hours Orihime had given up on pacing, After three she was sure that if she remained sitting for another moment she was going to go stir crazy. Now at five it was the indoors that was unbearable for her. So she was sitting on the roof of the shop, trying desperately not to look at the moon.

"Inoue."

Orihime turned her head to see Urahara standing there. She started to push herself to her feet but the blond man shook his head and came forward to where she was sitting, taking a seat himself.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Doing better," Urahara said, "he's feverish but Ryuuken says that now he's getting calories and that will help his Spiritual Pressure stabilize."

Orihime nodded, looking at the sky.

"Is he not adjusting?" she asked after a moment.

"He's adjusting," Urahara said, "but he isn't meant to live in this world, Inoue," he leaned back, "this is his choice. He has to remember that or he isn't going to survive very long."

"But we still get Hollows. Couldn't he--" she trailed off.

"I tried to talk to him about that," Urahara said, "but he wouldn't hear of it," he smiled faintly, "I think he didn't want to be like that anymore."

"But look where it got him!" Orihime cried, "he's down there and he's sick and--and--" her eyes teared up, "and there's nothing I can do!"

Tears were hot in her eyes as the truth spilled out. The helplessness, it was unbearable. Before she could have healed him, she could have defied Aizen, Ichigo--she could have defied God himself if she wanted. But now she couldn't even heal him she had been able to do was get him to the shop, to people who could actually help him. All she could do now was sit on the roof, worrying about him. Orihime closed her eyes, lowering her head as she tried not to cry, not to become even more useless.

"You can be there," Urahara told her. Orihime raised her head, looking over at the scientist through misty eyes, "sometimes that's all anyone needs. Even when--no especially when--they won't admit it."

Orihime sniffled, fighting to control her tears.

"I-I can see him?" Urahara nodded, "thank you," she said getting to her feet and hurrying away.

Urahara remained on the roof, looking up at the sky.

Orihime hurried down the stairs as fast as she could, towards the underground room. Grabbing the trap door she slid it back and flew down the ladder as fast as she could. Ryuuken was gone, the only person down there was Ulquiorra. They had moved him onto a bed and there was an IV snaking into his arm. His body was covered by a sheet but she could see the bare skin of his chest where it had fallen away. He was clearly agitated, his eyes darting beneath closed lids. She saw the erratic rise and fall of his chest, saw the sweat on his brow. Slowly Orihime closed the remaining distance between them, kneeling down next to him.

"U-Ulquiorra?" she whispered his name but he did not respond, just laid there.

Orihime felt the tears increase tenfold. This time she did not hold them back though. They broke free as she looked at what Ulquiorra had forced himself to become. Fate had destined him for one thing and he had made himself something else. He had gotten hurt protecting them all, people who he had once considered his enemies--them and one he had considered his responsibility. Now he had fought to save them and he had gotten hurt because he had fought alone. Orihime buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed over Ulquoiorra's prone form.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, over and over, "I'm so so sorry."

Orihime didn't leave the shop that night. If the only thing she could do for Ulquiorra was be there, then be there she would be.


Across town, Uryuu drew his bow taught, his eyes focusing on the target ahead as he focused and released his grip on the arrow. It sailed through the air and landed in the center of the target. Uryuu lowered the bow, looking at the target, unsure of how he felt. It had taken him a very long time to learn to shoot a bow again but even now that he could hit the center of the target with the same accuracy he had trained, he found it pleased him less and less. It was training, he knew that, but it felt as though what he had been training for was over, that now he wasn't training for anything. Just training for the sake of it.

He had gotten updates from his father that Ulquiorra would be fine and that Orihime was with him. So he had gone to archery after reporting the news back to Tatsuki. He figured it would be best if Ichigo didn't know, for the time being anyway.

"Uryuu!"

Uryuu looked over to see Tatsuki making her way through the archery course towards him. She was dressed in the bottoms of her martial arts uniform and a warm up jacket, protection against the slight chill in the air. Uryuu went to glance at his wrist before remembering that he would not find a watch there, not anymore. Instead he watched as she made her way over to where he was standing, her hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket.

"Did you wait long?" he asked.

"No, I got out early," she said scratching the back of her neck, "thought I'd come to see you," she looked around, "so no practice today?"

"Not formal ones," he said.

"Man, on days when I don't have practice I rest up," she said, "you're an animal Uryuu."

Uryuu felt his lips curve into a smile. She said it bluntly, without any sort of pretense, just a statement of the facts. For a moment they lapsed into silence, Uryuu's prosthetic holding the bow and Tatsuki's hands shoved tightly into the pockets of her jacket.

"Have you ever shot one?" he asked.

"A bow?" she looked down at it, "oh no--no I'm not a weapons kinda girl," she said looking at the bow, "archery's your thing, not mine," she stopped, "didn't you used to fire with the other hand?"

"Yes," he said, "but I thought I'd learn something new."

Tatsuki nodded, silent for a heartbeat.

"Alright fine," she said removing her hands from her pockets, "teach me how to shoot."

Uryuu nodded and removed the bow from his prosthetic. Tatsuki walked over to where he was standing. He held the bow out to her. She picked it up, holding the metal of the bow in her hands, looking from it to him, one eyebrow moving up in confusion. Uryuu smiled and moved forward to where she was holding the bow, confused.

"This is called a recurve bow," he said, "so your hand goes here," he said moving her hand to the right place, "hold on," he said grabbing an arrow, "alright now put your feet like this," he said moving her feet to the right position.

"Okay," Tatsuki said doubtfully, mimicking his foot position, "now what?"

"Now," Uryuu said, "we have to nock the arrow," he stepped behind her.

Tatsuki's eyes widened as she felt his body behind her. She was sure this was the closest she had ever been to the Quincy in her entire life. She felt the warmth of his body, she even felt the edge of his jacket against her back. She had been in this position before but it was usually to flip a man over her shoulder. But Uryuu didn't feel like that. It wasn't that he didn't have muscles, quite to the contrary, but he wasn't built like Ichigo or Sado or the other martial artist she knew. No he was built for something else entirely, his body trained to do something she was fairly certain she wasn't going to be able to do.

"So the arrow fits here," his voice came to her.

Tatsuki looked down, surprised to see his hand holding the edge of an arrow, already fitted into the bowstring. What was more surprising than that was the fact his arms were on either side of her waist, one hand just under hers on the bow, the other holding the arrow in place. Her eyes moved from the metallic hand so close to her own over to the very real flesh and bone one. His fingers held the arrow carefully but with the assurance of someone who knew exactly how to use it. Tatsuki shoved her fluttering heart aside and focused instead on what he was saying.

"So now you hold the arrow here," he was saying, moments before his hand reached down and covered hers.

Tatsuki tried not to react. His hand was calloused but even those felt different than the people she knew. They were mostly on his fingers, almost exactly where he placed her hand on the arrow. As he did that his forearm touched her waist, simply because his hand moved forward to guide hers. But his forearm was on her waist and while everything in her was shouting to flip him or break his nose, a very small voice was whispering that it felt actually kind of nice. To have a boy touch her like this and not want to fight her.

"S-so," she said, her tongue darting between her lips, "what now?"

"Now," Uryuu said, "you raise the bow and pull back, like this," he told her.

His movements were slow, gentle even as he guided her arms up and back. Her muscles tugged at the unfamiliar sensation of pulling the bow back but his hand was there, just in case. Tatsuki gritted her teeth, forcing her muscles to stay in place, to pull back just a bit further. She didn't need an 'in case', or someone to be gentle with her just because of--of--of whatever he thought she needed. His hand left the arrow and gently cupped her elbow, lowering it just a little. Tatsuki let him guide her movements, changing them as they needed to be changed.

"Relax," he said, his voice low.

Tatsuki tilted her head to shoot him a glare. She didn't relax, not really, and certainly not because someone told her too. Uryuu returned her gaze evenly from behind the safety of his glasses.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had known Tatsuki was a good deal shorter than the rest of them. Not as short as Rukia but short. He knew he was not the tallest person in the wold but he didn't expect her to fit against him. He could feel her warmth through the fabric of her uniform and the jacket she wore. But more than that he could feel the strength in her as she perfectly mimicked what he was telling her to do. She drew his bow with no obvious trouble, even though he knew she had just come from practice.

For the life of him, Uryuu couldn't understand why he liked the contradictions so much. Tiny but strong, she looked delicate but was anything but. And despite all her un-feminity he knew she wrote her name a certain way because she thought it was cuter. He had always liked the predictable. The predictable was something you could count on, especially because his world seemed to be full of unpredictability. But for some reason he found himself equally fascinated and enjoying the wealth of contradiction and unpredictability that was Tatsuki.

At his order, Tatsuki tried to relax, taking a deep breath in and letting it out.

"Good," Uryuu said, "now, all you have to do is let go."

Tatsuki looked at the arrow, past that to the target. Just let go. It was a simple order, one she should have been more than capable of following. But her fingers tensed on the arrow, on the irrational need to keep it there for as long as she could. She felt Uryuu's hand lay on top of hers. Tatsuki looked at the target as it wavered. Much to her shame she realized her eyes were tearing up as her fingers tightened even more on the arrow.

"I--" she began before she cut herself off, her teeth grinding together. She wasn't going to show any sort of weakness, especially not in front of Uryuu.

"Its okay," he said, his voice soft.

"No, its not," she said, her voice sharper, neither talking about the arrow anymore.

"It will be," Uryuu said.

"How do you know?" Tatsuki demanded turning her head over to look at him.

The Quincy met her gaze squarely. He really had no answer for her, not one that would make sense anyway. They had all been shattered, they had all been hurt. Not just those who had fought, but the ones who had been left behind as well. Uryuu knew that, he saw the way Tatsuki was struggling to hold it all in, to hold it together. But every day she had to see her best friend and know that after everything she and Orihime weren't like they were before. She had to see Ichigo and Sado and him, three people who had lied to her everyday for years. It was almost impossible to think that everything would be okay. But Uryuu knew that that was the problem, that they were all clinging to what they once were, to what they had lost, to what was never going to come back. If they wanted to move on they were going to have to let go, they were going to have to forgive each other.

"Because the only way we can move on is if we let go," he said. Tatsuki's eyes widened, "we can't go back. We can only go forward."

Their eyes remained locked, hers swimming with tears, his steady and unwavering. Finally she tore hers away, blinking to clear her eyes of the tears in them, even though the action made them trickle down her cheeks. She adjusted her stance, her fingers adjusting on the arrow. Uryuu lowered his hand as she took a deep breath in and let it out, her fingers releasing the arrow. It whistled through the air and slammed into the target.

"Very good," Uryuu said, "you came close to the bulls--" he trailed off.

Tatsuki was shaking but he was sure it wasn't with rage. Slowly he lowered the bow and reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her entire body stiffened in response, locking for a moment before a sob spilled from her lips. Her hands came up instantly, clapping over her mouth as she shook her head, one foot moving forward, away from him. His hand didn't move from her shoulder. He knew she was hurt and scared and probably a hundred other things she wouldn't admit to him. But she was crying right next to him. Uryuu didn't think he had ever really comforted someone, not like this and he was more than a little lost as to how to proceed.

"Tatsuki?" he tried, his voice that had been so confident was a bit more tentative.

"I hate you!" her voice broke, "I hate you all! You just--you left us! You left me! We were supposed to be friends but you all went off and I-I--I can't even--" her voice broke off.

So Uryuu said the one thing he realized no one had told her.

"I'm sorry."

Tatsuki's eyes widened, her sobs stopping in the shock at what she had heard. She whipped around. Uryuu stood there, calm and collected. He neatly placed his bow with his arrows and faced her. He had just apologized to her. She didn't think she had heard an apology from any of them. She told herself she wasn't interested in their apologies, that they had done what they had done because they had that power. But she hadn't realized how much she needed to hear someone say it. Sorry for lying to you, sorry we couldn't bring you along, sorry that it ended this way. They were both quiet as they looked over at each other but unfortunately Tatsuki was crying for real and it didn't simply stop because of that. Through her tears she saw Uryuu's eyes widen, unsure of what he was supposed to do now and Tatsuki who was completely unaccustomed to crying in front of people had no idea either.

"I--" she stopped, reaching up and wiping at her cheeks but more tears just came, "I can't--"

So Uryuu did the only thing that he could think of and walked the remaining distance between them. Tatsuki watched him warily as he reached into his pocket and produced a folded piece of fabric, opening it and offering it to her. Tatsuki let out something between a laugh and a sob and took it, wiping her eyes with the fabric.

"Sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to go all girly on you."

"Its perfectly understandable," Uryuu said pushing up glasses. Through her tears Tatsuki glared at the clink of metal on metal, "I know," Uryuu said, aware of why she was glaring, "it is a habit."

"Uh huh, well you gotta let go of it," Tatsuki said smartly.

"You cannot use my own words against me."

"I'm just following your advice!" Tatsuki objected, wiping under her eyes again.

Uryuu simply inclined his head and turned to get his bow, ready to go back to their respective homes.


Aww! So Ulquiorra's got something to wake up to. And Uryuu! I'm totally crack-shipping him and Tatsuki now. They are like the perfect cracktastic couple! (Next to ShuuSun, GrimmSoi, RenjNel--oh hell the list goes on. But right now they're tops)

As always, your friendly author appreciates the reviews, they make me happy.

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