Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.'

'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'

- Lewis Carroll

Chapter Seven

Ulquiorra entered the clinic as soon as the doors opened. He needed to talk to someone and Isshin Kurosaki was the only person he knew right now that may understand his current dilemma. He quickly approached the receptionist's desk and stared at the woman behind the counter until she finally looked up. Her face registered shock and a slight bit of unease and he realized he must look pretty scary after a night with no sleep. Still he didn't care what she thought. He needed Isshin's help, and she was just a barrier in the way.

"Can I help you?" her voice was calm, the way someone would speak to an unbalanced individual whom they feared may lose control at any moment.

"I need to speak with Dr. Kurosaki," he was quick to respond.

"Just sign the log in front off you," she said and then, "Have you been here before?"

"This is not a professional visit," Ulquiorra grew increasingly agitated as she went through her usual routine. "I need to speak with him about a private matter."

"Are you currently seeing the doctor?" she persisted.

"No," he gripped the counter tightly, "He is a…a…friend…"

"We have many appointments today," she said calmly, "Why don't you sign in and we will get you in as soon as there is an opening."

"This can't wait," his voice became loud. Leaning in he said, "I need to talk with him immediately."

The woman's eyes grew wide and she stared a moment before saying, "Let me call the doctor."

He stood silent and waited. She picked up the phone and placed a call; her words simple. There was a man to see him and he needed to come to the front right away. What she left out was that she feared he was crazy, but he could hear that in her voice. Yet he felt a little insane at this point. After all, his story was fantastical and for the first time doubt crept into his mind that the doctor may not believe him.

Isshin came behind the woman and looking up at him smiled. It was a practiced smile, one reserved for patients that were on edge, and when he really looked at Ulquiorra the smile changed and he asked, "What happened? Is Orihime alright?"

Ulquiorra replied, "I have learned something that may change everything. I need to talk to you."

Isshin nodded and went to open the door that would lead him back to the various rooms. They walked in silence until they came to the doctor's office. He let Ulquiorra inside and motioned for him to sit on a rather comfortable looking sofa against the wall. Isshin pulled up a chair, and turning it around sat with his legs on either side, his arms resting on the back of the chair.

Smiling serenely he said, "Now, tell me what has happened."

Ulquiorra pulled the sketchbook from his backpack and held it tightly in his lap. He knew how this was going to sound, but Isshin had to believe him. The evidence, in time, would prove him right, he knew it.

"This is Orihime's sketchbook," he began. "She was currently mapping out her next story here." He opened it to the page that she had been drawing the night before the accident. "This is the last thing she drew before she was hit by that car."

Isshin glance at the book still in Ulquiorra's grasp.

"She really is good," he said.

"Yes," Ulquiorra agreed. "She is, but that is not what this is about." Slowly he turned the page, "This is."

Isshin stared at the next picture confused.

"You said the other page was the last one she drew."

"Yes," Ulquiorra looked up and met the doctor's eyes. "It was, and yet when I looked at it last night I found this," he began to turn the pages, "And these."

Isshin looked at the pages and then back at him.

"I don't understand."

Ulquiorra took a deep breath before he exhaled, "She has been in a coma, yet she continues to draw in this book," he said softly. Isshin drew his brows together and Ulquiorra knew he did not believe him. "This is her style. No one else can mimic it this precisely – even her fans who draw stuff all the time. It is uniquely hers."

"But she can't be drawing in it Ulquiorra," the doctor said firmly, "Your wife is in a coma."

"I know that," Ulquiorra's voice rose and he could feel the hysteria beginning to make its way into his tone. "It is impossible, yet she continues to add pictures and narrative. Look," he pointed at specific images, "She has begun to appear in the story. That's Orihime, not the character she was drawing. At first she was confused," he showed Isshin the page where Orihime first met Grimmjow, "She tells him that she is the writer, and that this is her story."

Isshin held out his hand for the book and Ulquiorra gave it to him. The doctor read the dialogue and stared at the images. Finally he spoke, "Ulquiorra," he looked up and held his gaze, "You look like shit. When was the last time you slept?"

Ulquiorra blinked, "Why does that matter?"

"Because you are exhausted, and when people do not get adequate sleep they begin to see things differently than they really are…"

He grabbed the book back from the doctor, "Orihime is in this story," his voice was cold, "And she continues to write it every day she is in that coma."

Isshin shook his head, "Ulquiorra that is impossible."

"I know that!" he yelled as he stood and began to pace. "I know how this sounds. I know that I must appear crazy," he stopped and stared at the pictures of Isshin's children that hung on the walls of his office. His eyes spotted one of the doctor with his wife. "I love Orihime," his voice dropped to a near whisper, "She is my world. I would do anything to get her back, but I am not making this up. She is trapped in that story and I believe she will not be able to wake from that coma as long as she remains there."

Isshin stood as well and took the book from him. Placing a hand on his shoulder he said, "Look Ulquiorra, I understand your pain, believe me I do. If I could have kept Masaki with me I would have moved heaven and earth to do so, but sometimes we have to face reality…"

"Orihime is in that story," he insisted.

"And you are exhausted," Isshin replied. "Look, I'll make you a deal. You get some sleep and I will read through what has been written since the coma began."

Ulquiorra thought about it and nodded. Isshin walked over to a closet in his office with a lock on it. Opening it he grabbed a bottle and some pills and then closed it again.

"These should help you sleep," he handed the pills to Ulquiorra. "You can take my couch – it's pretty comfortable. And when you wake up we can talk about this again."

Ulquiorra knew the doctor was trying to placate him. But he had no other choice. He swallowed the pills and took the book back. Opening it placed the book mark at the first empty space in the book. Closing it again he handed it back.

"That marks the spot where the drawings end," he looked into the doctor's eyes, "Anything that appears after that will be new."

"Understood," Isshin spoke softly. He gave Ulquiorra a blanket that was draped over another chair," Now sleep."

Ulquiorra lay down. He wondered if he would be able to truly rest, but in a matter of moments the world grew dark and he surrendered to sleep.


Orihime gripped Grimmjow's hand tightly in hers. They stood outside the door to the house of one of his father's friends, and Grimmjow's mentor after the man's death, Baraggan Louisenbairn. Over the past week since they had consummated their relationship, Grimmjow had begun to allow her a more active role in his life, and she understood the unspoken fact that he now considered her a more permanent person in his life.

The door opened and they were greeted by a young girl of about twelve. The blonde glared at Grimmjow and then gave Orihime a quick once over, before speaking, "Maybe you could show up on time Jaegerjaquez," she complained as she moved back to let them enter, "Just 'cos you have a new girl to warm your bed, doesn't mean you can waste our time while you have fun."

Orihime gripped Grimmjow's hand tighter, but he only said in an annoyed tone, "Your time Lilynette? The only reason you're here is that your old man couldn't find a babysitter…"

The girl punched him hard in the gut. "I'll be thirteen in a week, so shut your trap. I'm just as much a part of this group as you."

Grimmjow reached up and shoved her out of his way, "You should be home playing with your Barbie Dolls…"

This time he avoided the punch and pulled Orihime from the entrance way and towards the living room. Behind them Lilynette said loudly, "They're not in there."

He stopped and turned back, "Care to tell us where they are then, smartass?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and said smugly, "They're in the basement." Orihime felt Grimmjow tense at the girl's words. Lilynette smiled wide, "Szayel's got a fresh one. He's like a plump tick ready to pop. Baraggan thinks this might be the break you guys have been looking for."

Grimmjow let go of her hand and said softly, "You should stay up here with Lilynette."

Orihime stared at him a moment before protesting, "I'm a big girl…"

"It's like I said before," his voice was low, "Not all hunters follow the code, and if this guy is soft, Szayel will do what is necessary to get him to talk."

"I can handle it," she placed her hand reassuringly on his arm. It was obvious that he didn't want her to see the darker side of hunting, but if she was going to be with him then he needed to trust her.

Grimmjow held her gaze, gauging her determination and sighed, "Just promise me you'll leave if I say go."

She nodded and he took her hand once more as they made their way to the basement. From the outside the house appeared like any other on the street of this older neighborhood, but it was obvious the deeper they went, that this house was far from ordinary. The door to the basement alone, with its security touchpad hidden within one of the bookshelves that lined the hallway, was like something out of a spy novel. In fact the entire door was hidden as well and as soon as they began the walk down the stairs, it closed behind them.

He led her in silence through the hallway. On either side were a variety of rooms, bedrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, and also others, like the one they were headed to now, and from the screams coming from it she only assumed it was a torture chamber of sorts.

Grimmjow pressed a code into the pad by this door and it opened to reveal six hunters. Two she recognized as the Granz brothers. The old man with the scar across his face she assumed was Baraggan. The other three, a tall man with steely gray eyes and a goatee, a black man with tattoos on his face, and a blonde woman with piercing green eyes, that for a moment reminded her of someone else, someone now forgotten.

"Just in time for the fun," Szayel teased as he stepped away from the 'plump tick' as Lilynette had described their prisoner.

The girl's description had actually been pretty accurate. The vampire, now bond in silver chains, was a rather large, fat man. His fingers were adorned with gaudy jewelry and his clothes were obviously expensive. Orihime's first impression was that he was a vain man, but also a coward, afraid of the hunters standing around him.

"Please," he pleaded as he caught sight of Orihime, "You look like a nice woman. Tell them to let me go. I've already promised to talk…"

"And yet you have told us nothing of significance," Yylfordt spat.

"If I tell you want you want my life won't be worth anything," he whined.

"Your life is worth shit if you don't give us what we want," Grimmjow stepped closer. The man began to cry, snot mingling with his tears.

"You are disgusting," Yylfordt spoke again.

"Please," the vampire began to wail, "At least loosen the chains. They're making my arms numb."

"I could just cut them off," Szayel said smoothly, "your arms that is," the man blanched and Szayel laughed, "This one is a real piece of work."

Grimmjow ignored Granz and stared at the vampire, "So spill it, you son-of-a-bitch. Where is that fucker Cain hiding?"

The man cowered, his wails dying to a whimper.

"Cain will kill me…"

"I think we already established that your ass is grass if you don't start talking," Yylfordt growled.

Grimmjow stepped within inches of the fat man and said in a deathly quiet voice, "What my friend here is trying to say is that you should fear us more."

The whimpering continued as the man begged for his life. It was obvious that Grimmjow was growing impatient, but he stepped back and looked at Szayel.

"So what do you plan to do?" he asked.

Granz smiled wide as he turned to a table with various medical instruments and needles.

"Well I do have some new drugs I'd like to test…"

"Just get him to talk," Baraggan's gruff voice interrupted. "A dead vampire isn't going to give us any information."

Orihime tried to remain calm as Szayel went about his task. The vampire pleaded again, crying out in pain, but no one batted an eye. They had seen too much death already, and to them vampires weren't even human anymore, so treating them in such a manner didn't even prick their consciences.

Finally Grimmjow turned to the blonde woman and gave her a look. She in turn glanced at Orihime and spoke. Her voice was soft and calm, "I'm going to check on Lilynette. Why don't you come with me?"

Orihime understood that Grimmjow wanted to get her away from this room. Things were not going as they wanted and she knew when she left that the men would no longer hold back. Even Grimmjow had a gleam in his eye. Bloodlust of his own, as that one vampire had accused him of only a week earlier. Still Grimmjow had lost everything to Cain. It was understandable that he would see nothing wrong with what was about to happen.

Meekly she allowed the woman to lead her away and back upstairs. Some things about Grimmjow's life were best left a mystery.


Ulquiorra awoke to find Isshin sitting behind his desk. The room was dark except for the light from the small lamp that the doctor was using to read by. Slowly Ulquiorra sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. It would seem he had slept the entire day away – the first since the accident where he had not gone to the hospital to visit Orihime.

"What time is it," he croaked. His throat was dry and he swallowed several times to coat the sleep from his voice.

Isshin looked up. His face was worn and Ulquiorra could tell he was unsettled.

"It's after six," he said and then stood and walked over to the couch where Ulquiorra now sat. Laying the book in his lap he continued, "There's more."

Ulquiorra stared at him wide-eyed before glancing down at the book in his lap. Slowly he took in the new images and narrative. The scene that unfolded was gruesome, and he was surprised that his usually timid wife was standing by and allowing it to go on without saying a word. What was happening to her? She was changing, becoming someone else.

Isshin let out a sigh and stretched his arms above his head. Scratching his beard he said softly, "I'm sorry Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra looked up from the book. Was the man sorry he had doubted him, or sorry that his wife was now living a new life with a fictional character of her own making?

"You have to understand how crazy this all sounds," Isshin continued when Ulquiorra remained silent. "I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't witnessed it myself. After all I had the book in my possession all day, so I could be sure you didn't try anything."

"Understood," Ulquiorra spoke low. "But now you know the truth."

"As unbelievable as it seems," the doctor whispered.

"I cannot let her remain there," Ulquiorra said as he looked back at the book.

"She is in a coma," Isshin said, "Regardless of this phenomenon, you cannot wake her."

"If I was there," Ulquiorra began softly, "If I could get into the story, then I could make her come back…"

"Whoa stop right there," Isshin said as he stood abruptly and turned towards Ulquiorra, "First of all we have no idea how she ended up in her own story. Secondly, it would seem that the longer she remained, the more she forgot about her life here. What's to say the same wouldn't happen to you?"

Ulquiorra stared at the book.

"She entered the book the same day she slipped into the coma. Maybe if I was also in such a state…"

"Now that's crazy!" Isshin bent down and gripped Ulquiorra's shoulders. Forcing him to look at him he continued, "You are a perfectly healthy man. What you are talking about is foolish."

"Why is that?" he asked with determination. "The doctors put Orihime in a coma. They could do the same for me, and as soon as I convince her to abandon the story they could pull me out…"

"A medically induced coma is a last resort, Ulquiorra," Isshin stated. "No one in their right mind would put a perfectly healthy man into a coma. It's too dangerous."

"I am willing to take that risk," he slammed the book shut and brushed off Isshin's hold on his shoulders. Rising he said, "I am losing her. Each day she stays. I lose her more and more. I have to get her back now before it's too late, before she forgets me entirely."

"I know this is hard for you," Isshin tried but Ulquiorra wouldn't listen.

"You have no idea," his voice grew cold. "Your wife died. Mine is still alive. And she is living this other life, with another man who she believes is real. I am losing her to Grimmjow. And eventually to the book, because it will not be long before she runs out of pages, and then what will become of her?"

Isshin glanced at the closed book Ulquiorra had left on the couch.

"Damn it," the doctor swore softly. "There is no easy solution…"

"No there isn't, "Ulquiorra said calmly. "But this is my wife's life. I would gladly trade mine for hers if I thought it would save her."

"You just might if you try to go in there," Isshin replied. "And let's just say you did get in, then what? Orihime wrote herself as the heroine. How will she draw you?"

"I do not understand?" Ulquiorra said.

"Each person is a character," Isshin continued. "It stands to reason that you will not be you. You will be some other person, with your own memories mind you, but at the mercy of her perceptions of that character. Eventually you too could lose yourself just as she has forgotten who she is."

"It is a risk I am willing to take," he began to pace. Stopping in front of the picture of Isshin and his wife he asked, "Wouldn't you have done the same if it had been your wife?"

Isshin walked over to the picture and stood beside him.

"I would have done everything in my power," he whispered, "But this is irrational."

"It may be, but it is all I have."

"And how exactly will you get to her?" Isshin turned to him. "No doctor would ever agree to such a thing."

Ulquiorra held his gaze, but remained silent. Isshin's eyes narrowed as understanding kicked in and he waved his hands and shook his head emphatically.

"No way; I will have no part of this. You are talking doctor assisted suicide if you ask me."

"No one has to know."

"I would know," Isshin spoke low. "And I could not live with myself if I allowed you to do this."

Ulquiorra stared a moment. "Maybe there is another, safer way. Some type of drug or some hypnotic therapy…"

"People have been trying to tap into the world between life and death since the beginning of time," Isshin reflected. "Hell, I knew this guy in med school who actually devised a plan - scary as hell, and totally unethical. Eventually he dropped out and went into research…"

"Maybe he could help," Ulquiorra latched onto the possibility.

"Oh no," Isshin replied. "Urahara is a dangerous man. A friend yes, but still dangerous. He would do anything for science, not thinking of the consequences."

"But I am willing to take this risk."

"No, absolutely not," Isshin was firm.

Ulquiorra stared a moment and then said, "I should go. I haven't been to the hospital yet."

"Ulquiorra," Isshin placed his hand again on his shoulder. "I am sorry, but my oath is to the living, and you are a healthy man…"

"Orihime is alive as well," his voice was bitter.

"I know that," Isshin squeezed his shoulder, "But to let you willingly put your life in danger…"

"I understand," he replied.

"Okay," Isshin released him, "How about I give you a lift to the hospital."

"I am fine to drive," Ulquiorra said as he glanced around the room. He spotted the man's diploma and stared a moment more before saying, "Honestly, I do appreciate your help."

Isshin smiled and as they walked to Ulquiorra's car they spoke of inconsequential things. Once on his way to the hospital though, his mind began to form a plan.


Ulquiorra sat in his usual chair beside Orihime's bed. His laptop was open beside him and the sketch book lay on the bed in front of him. He had been searching the internet for a few hours now, armed with a name and the university where Isshin had attended medical school. It had taken some digging, but he had come up with a name.

Kisuke Urahara.

The man had in fact gone to medical school with Isshin, and he had left to pursue research instead. He was currently looking into near death experiences, focusing on coma victims and their state of consciousness. It would seem the man believed that the brain existed in varying states, and that anything was possible if one tapped into its potential.

The idea that Orihime could be living in her fantasy world with Grimmjow would not be so odd to him. In fact the man would most likely be ecstatic to see the sketchbook. Maybe he wouldn't be so averse to helping Ulquiorra. Googling the address he searched for the man's lab, and found that he was only about an hour's drive away.

He closed his laptop and put it away. He stood and placed a kiss on Orihime's cheek.

"Tomorrow Orihime," he spoke tenderly. "Tomorrow I will see this man, and then I will come for you and bring you home."