Bleach (c) Tite Kubo
Story (c) Me
Grimmjow grabbed Orihime by the shoulders shaking her.
"What do you mean she's your patient? Why? What for? What's wrong with her?"
Orihime was startled as she felt someone shake her, seeing nothing there. She had a feeling, though, it was Grimmjow, and he was asking her questions.
Ichigo pulled Grimmjow away, "Stop it, there's no need to attack her!"
"I'm not attacking her, I want to know why Nelliel is her patient!"
Ichigo turned back to look at Orihime, his expression voicing Grimmjow's questions.
"He wants to know why she's in the hospital, right?"
Ichigo nodded.
"She's in there because of a serious brain trauma. She thinks she's five and doesn't remember any part of her life from that point on. Not you, not AIzen, or being a part of the Espada. I think she might have some sort of subconscious memory tucked inside, though, which I why I figured out she's Gamuza. Before I came here to tell you, she drew a picture of a panther and an antelope and called them Pantera and Gamuza. So a part of her still knows. She also had signs of sexual assault, and she's pregnant."
The mirror in Ichigo's room suddenly shattered, and Orihime jumped.
"Damn it, Grimmjow! You realize I'm going to get blamed for this, don't you?" Ichigo snapped.
"Like a give a damn. Fucking Santa Teresa. If I could, I'd kill the bastard."
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset him." Orihime confessed worriedly.
"Don't apologize for his sake, he would have acted that way regardless. He thinks Santa Teresa did it. Is that true?"
"Santa Teresa. . .you said that was Nnoitra, right? There's no evidence against him yet, but yes, I think so. He came to the hospital to visit her one day and she was very frightened of him. He also new about her exact injuries which was highly suspicious to me."
"Told you." Grimmjow replied to Ichigo.
"When do you think they'll get the results back from the rape kit?" Ichigo asked, voicing the question Grimmjow had been silently thinking to himself.
"I'm not sure, I'll ask when I begin my shift in the morning. I'm sorry, Grimmjow. If there's anything more I could do I would."
Orihime felt someone pat her head and then it was gone.
"Was that Grimmjow?"
"Yeah, he just left." Ichigo noticed the frown on Orihime's face. "Really, Orihime, there's no need to worry about him. He'll be alright. . .I think."
Grimmjow found himself wandering the halls upstairs. He wasn't particularly worried about someone seeing him, but at the moment he wished someone could. He wanted to tell all of them that their system sucked if they just let murderers work in the hospital, Much less just waltz in there. He wished he weren't dead because he could fix this. He didn't know how, but he was convinced he could.
As he continued to wander the halls upstairs he found himself stopping in front of a door. He wasn't sure what possessed him to look inside, but when he did he felt his stomach drop.
There she was. Nelliel. She was sitting up in a hospital bed, reading a children's book. She had the goofiest smile on her face and occasionally she would succumb to giggles as she turned the pages. Grimmjow felt himself grab the handle to her door, but stopped himself. There was no way he could go inside. She wouldn't even know he was there. But as he let go of the handle Nelliel suddenly looked up. She smiled and waved. Grimmjow looked behind him, seeing no one there.
Is she waving at me?
He turned back and pointed at himself, in question. Nelliel nodded happily and gestured for him to come inside.
"Hello!" Nelliel beamed happily when Grimmjow peeked his head inside.
"Uh, hi." Grimmjow replied, stepping inside fully.
It was then Grimmjow finally got a good look at her. He balled his hand into a fist at the sight of the scar on her face.
"What are you in the hospital for?"
"Oh, um. I'm just visiting a friend. . .you can see me?"
Nelliel cocked her head to one side, and frowned. "Of course I can. What do you mean?"
Grimmjow shook his head, "Nevermind, it's not important. Anyway, what are you reading?" He asked, sitting down in the chair beside the bed.
She showed him the book cover and he smiled.
Of course. Dr Seuss. You were always quoting anything by him.
"That's a good one."
"It is! Would you like to borrow it?"
"No. I'm fine. That's a rather large scar you got. . ."
Nelliel touched her face with a frown. "The doctors said I hit my head. Something's wrong with my tummy too, see?"
She suddenly grabbed Grimmjow's hand and placed it on her abdomen. He couldn't help but retract quickly when he felt a kick. He felt disgusted.
"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." she pouted.
"No it's fine. I was just startled. Anyway, I need to get going."
He stood up but she grabbed his hand. "Wait. Don't go."
"I have to, I'm sorry. Besides, you shouldn't talk to strangers anyway."
He took his hand away and stretched. He soon realized his mistake though when he heard Nelliel gasp. She had seen the gaping hole in his stomach.
"Shit!"
"You're hurt!"
"It's nothing, I'm fine."
"No you're not! I'll take you to get help."
She started to stand up but Grimmjow touched her shoulders and forced her to sit back down. "Calling someone in here will do nothing! Don't you get it? Gamuza, I mean, Nelliel, I'm dead. No one here can help me."
Again Grimmjow realized his mistake at the look of horror on Nelliel's face.
"Shit."
"How do you know my name? And why did you call me Gamuza? Gamuza is an animal I made up along with Pantera. Who are you?"
"I'm no one. Just forget you ever saw me."
"Wait! Don't g-"
Nelliel's voice hitched in her throat as she saw Grimmjow phase through the wall. Grimmjow didn't turn around to see her face. He didn't want to.
Once outside the room he saw a couple of doctors, male and female, go inside Nelliel's room.
"Nel, what's wrong?" he heard the female ask.
"There was a ghost in my room! And he knew who I was!"
Grimmjow started to walk away again, but he could still hear their voices.
"Oh dear. Nel, I think it's time for bed. You've been reading too many stories."
"But it's true! Dr. Orihime will believe me, I want to see her!"
"Sweetie, Dr. Inoue's shift is over. She won't be back until morning."
"N-no! I want Dr. Orihime!" I saw a ghost, I really did! Please bring back Dr. Orihime!"
Grimmjow couldn't stand hearing her shouts anymore and he disappeared from the hospital all together.
"You said Orihime was pregnant, right?" Ichigo asked Orihime as the two sat on the bed. Shiro hovered overhead, listening.
"Yes. Which doesn't really line up with the timeline of when she was brought in."
"What do you mean?"
"Nelliel came to the hospital a week before my first day on the job, but she's at least three months pregnant. Otherwise I wouldn't have felt the baby kick."
"So she was pregnant before she got assaulted, then?"
"Yes. And I believe the pregnancy is a result of continuous abuse and this last time Nnoitra took it too far."
"Damn it. Damn it! I swear, that Aizen- and now he's got you in this mess too. I'm sorry, Orihime."
"It's not your fault, Ichigo. Bad people exist. I told you I'll get you out, and I'll help Nelliel too."
"I know but-"
He stopped when he saw Grimmjow reappear in the room.
"You look like shit." He heard Shiro say.
"I agree. Grimmjow, you look awful, did something happen?"
Grimmjow went to the opposite side of the room, avoiding looking at all them. To Ichigo and Shiro, he looked as if her were in pain.
Orihime looked at Ichigo. "Is he back?"
"Yeah, and he looks like he's seen a ghost for lack of a better term. Oi, Grimmjow."
"I fucked up." Grimmjow mumbled in response. "Tell the girl I'm sorry."
"Grimmjow, what happened?"
"Is he ok?"
"I don't know, he's never acted like this."
Orihime's phone suddenly rang.
"Hello?"
Because the room was so empty, the others could hear the caller from the other line.
"Dr. Inoue? This is Dr. Unohana, I'm sorry to disturb you at such a bad time, but I need you to come back to the hospital, Immediately. It's Nelliel. Something set her off and she won't calm down. We're trying to avoid sedating her, but it's looking like we'll have to. She keeps going on and on about ghosts and something called gamuza and pantera. We have no idea what she's talking about or where she got these ideas in her head. You spend the most time with her, perhaps you can decipher what she means."
"I'll be there soon."
She hung up and pocketed the phone. The room was silent for a second and then Orihime gathered her things and left. As she walked down the hall she heard Ichigo yell:
"Jaegerjaquez what the hell did you do?!"
Nelliel can see Grimmjow. But why? Why was Grimmjow in her room in the first place? Did she recognize him? But based on Ichigo's reactions something bad must have happened. Ugh, no, you don't know that. You'll find out your answers soon.
Orihime suddenly collided with something.
"Ouch." she hissed.
"You sure are going somewhere in a hurry, Dr. Inoue. Did Ichigo finally scare you off?"
She looked up to see Gin, smiling at her. She resisted a shudder. The man was just too creepy.
"No sir, I got an emergency call from Dr. Unohana. Something's wrong with Nelliel.
"Hmm?" he raised an eyebrow. He cearly didn't believe her.
Seeing this, she took her phone out of her pocket and showed him the most recent call, proving herself. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get to my patient."
She shoved passed him, and didn't look back.
"Dr. Inoue sure seemed in a hurry to get out of here." Gin drawled, arriving in Ichigo's room.
Ichigo glared. "What the hell do you want?"
"Just here to check up on things. Aizen's orders."
"Well you can tell Aizen things are fin, and to fuck off."
"My my, what a temper you have. You must have scared the poor girl off."
"That's bullshit and you know it. She got a call from Dr. Unohana. I'm sure you saw her in the hallway."
"Maybe, maybe not." Gin walked fully into the room and picked up one of the broken mirror shards. "Which one of your ghost friends broke it this time?"
Ichigo wanted to punch Gin in the face. "I broke it. Orihime said that breaking things is therapeautic."
"Did she?"
"Yes. Now if you're done, I'd like to get some sleep."
Gin just continued to smile as he turned around and left.
"Is everything alright in here?" Orihime asked breathlessly as she came into Nelliel's room.
Dr. Unohana looked at her, slightly shocked. "Dr. Inoue, I called you not even five minutes ago. You didn't speed did you?"
"Oh, um, yes I did. I'm sorry, I just wanted to get here as fast as I could." Orihime lied. Of course she couldn't tell them she had been in an abandoned asylum right below the hospital.
"Please be careful. As you can see, we finally ended up having to sedate her." She gestured over to Nelliel, who was sleeping. "Is there anything you can tell us about who Gamuza and Pantera are?"
"Yes. I don't know where she got the ghost idea, but gamuza and pantera are the names of animals she drew the other day." Orihime replied, not revealing everything she knew. "Let me see if I can find the drawing she did earlier this evening before the end of my shift."
She rummaged through a bag beside Nelliel's bed, "Ah, here it is. See? Gamuza and Pantera." She showed Dr. Unohana the picture, the names scribbled under their respected animals.
"I see. So you don't think it has anything to do with the criminal Pantera who was executed six years ago? We were all very worried when she started saying the name."
"Oh heavens no! Just a coincidence. When she first showed me the drawings I was worried about that too, but she told me she had made them up. She probably doesn't even realize the coincidence herself."
"Alright. I'll leave you to her then. Maybe she will explain the ghost issue to you. You don't believe her, do you?"
"No ma'am, I don't. But I am willing to lie to her in order to make her comfortable. That is my main priority is my patients comfort."
Dr. Unohana smiled. "Try to get some rest yourself while she's sleeping. And thank you for coming on such short notice."
"It was nothing, really."
And then Orihime was alone with Nelliel. She put her head in her hands and sighed.
"How am I going to put an end to all of this?"
She sat in the chair and looked at Nelliel, taking a hold of her hand. "I promise, I'll fix everything that's happened to you."
Orihime didn't realize she had fallen asleep and awoke to someone shaking her awake.
"What is it? What's going on?" She yawned sleepily, her brain still a bit foggy from the sudden rouse from slumber,
"You came!" Nelliel said happily, hugging her.
Orihime began to remember the events from the night (or rather early morning) before.
Oh that's right. I remember.
She smiled. "Yes I came. I'm sorry I couldn't get here fast enough."
"That's ok. I saw a ghost! No one else believes me, but you do right?"
"Of course I do, Nel! Why don't you tell me everything that happened."
Truly, I believe you. I wish I could tell you why.
"Well I was reading a book." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "I was already supposed to be asleep, but I stayed up."
"You were trying to be sneaky I see. What happened next?"
"I saw a man standing in front of my door, so I waved at him and invited him inside."
"Well Nel, that wasn't safe! He's a stranger."
Nelliel frowned. "I know, but he felt safe."
"Alright, what happened when he came inside?"
We talked for a bit. He asked me what I was reading, and about my scar. I showed him what was wrong with my tummy too, but he didn't seem to like that. He told me he had to go, but I didn't want him to. I really liked talking with him. But when he got up, I saw a hole in his tummy! It was this big."
She formed her hands in a circle to show the size of Grimmjow's hole.
Orihime gasped. "Oh no!"
"Yeah, yeah, and so I shouted 'You're hurt!' but he told me he was fine and not to worry about. Well I couldn't just let him be hurt in a hospital, you know?"
"Of course! So then what happened."
"Well I tried to get up to help him but he pushed he back down on the bed and then he shouted and said 'Calling someone in here will do nothing! Don't you get it? Gamuza, I mean, Nelliel, I'm dead. No one here can help me.' So I asked him how he knew my name and why he called me Gamuza. I asked him who he was."
"And what did he say?"
"He said he was no one and to forget I ever saw him. And then he walked right through the wall!"
"Sounds like you had quite the experience! Were you scared?"
"No. . ."
"How did you feel?"
Nelliel didn't respond. Her face furrowed in concentration as she tried to describe how she felt.
"Were you confused?" Orihime suggested.
"Yes!"
"Because he knew who you were?"
"Yeah, and I was sad too."
"Well why were you sad?"
"Well, because he knows me, but I don't know him."
"You didn't recognize him at all?"
Nelliel shook her head, pouting. "I'm trying to remember but I can't."
"Well maybe it would help if you saw him again?"
"You think he might come back?"
"Oh no, what I mean is you can describe how he looked? Maybe looking at a picture will help."
Nelliel nodded, and began describing Grimmjow. Of course, Orihime had heard his description before from Ichigo, so she had no trouble sketching him again.
"Is this him?" She asked, turning the paper for Nelliel to see.
Nelliel nodded. "Yes! But, I still don't recognize him."
Her eyes started to well up.
"Nel, what's wrong?"
She sniffed, "Well. I feel like I'm supposed to know a lot of things, but I can't remember."
Orihime hugged her. "Oh honey, you'll remember things eventually! That's why I'm here, so I can help you. This ghost that came in is a good clue for your memories. Let's study the picture together, and maybe we can figure things out."
Nelliel nodded, wiping her tears away. Before the two girls could do anything however, a knock came at the door, and Dr. Kyouraku, one of the OBGYN's came inside.
"Good morning, ladies. I'm just here to make sure Miss Nel's tummy is ok."
Orihime saw the sonogram machine, knowing what he was really checking on.
"Of course, please come in." She replied, turning the paper over that had Grimmjow's sketch so he wouldn't see.
He quickly did the sonogram (Nelliel giggled at the cool gel) and gathered his things.
"All done!"
"Well?" Nelliel asked curiously,
Dr. Kyouraku laughed. "You're doing great. Everything should be fine with your tummy soon. I promise."
Satisfied with that answer, Nelliel smiled back.
Orihime stayed silent. She needed to talk to Dr. Kyouraku, but she couldn't do it with Nel in the room. A few minutes after he left, she turned to Nelliel.
"Nel, I have to take care of a couple of things. I'll be back, and then we can continue figuring out who this ghost is, ok?"
"Will you come back soon?"
"Of course."
A knock sounded on Dr. Kyouraku's door.
"Come in."
The door creaked open, and Orihime stepped inside.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir."
"Oh hello Dr. Inoue! It's no problem at all, please come in."
She closed the door behind her and sat down.
"I'll get straight to it. It's about my patient, Nelliel. I was wondering if the results from the rape kit had come back?"
"Yes they have. I just sent the results to the Special Victims Unit. Would you like a copy?"
"Please. Also, she was clearly pregnant before this result happened. How far along is she?"
Dr. Kyouraku frowned. "Four months."
Orihime sighed. "I figured as much. Sir, I believe that whoever assaulted her this last time is the one who got her pregnant. When I am successful in getting her memories back, we need to discuss what options we need to take in regards to the baby. I am not a gynecologist like you, so I would like you to be there when that time arrives."
"Of course, Dr. Inoue. But why do you think the one from the assault is the same person who got her pregnant? You have no proof of that."
Orihime shrugged. "Intuition. Anyways, I need to get back to Nelliel. Thank you for your time."
She bowed politely and with a smile walked out the door.
"There you are!" Nelliel smiled as Orihime came back into the room.
"I'm back." Orihime smiled in return, sitting down in the chair beside the bed again. "Alright, let's figure out who this mystery ghost could be. is there anything about his appearance you find odd?"
Nelliel studied the sketch. "Well, his hair was blue."
"Ok! Can you recall ever meeting anyone with blue hair?"
Nelliel shook her head.
"Hmm. Ok. . ." Orihime pointed at the jawbone on Grimmjow's face. "This is interesting. Did you ask him about this?"
Nelliel shook her head again. "No, I didn't ask him."
"You didn't find it weird?"
"No. It looked like it belonged there."
"It did? So you'd say it looked natural for him to have it? Something like that isn't normal, though, Nel."
Nelliel tapped her chin. "Huh. I guess you're right! I wonder why i felt like it belonged there?"
"I don't know, but that tells me that somewhere deep inside, you know this person." She pointed to Nelliel's heart as she said this. "Was there anything else about his appearance?"
Nelliel tapped her chin again, thinking, studying Grimmjow's photograph.
"I don't know!" she pouted after a while.
"It's ok, Nel. You're making great progress so far."
"Really?"
Orihime nodded. "Mhm. Now let's see. What do you make of these markings under his eyes? Did you feel like they belonged there? Like you did the jawbone?"
"Hmm. I guess so? I didn't feel the need to ask him about it."
"Do those markings remind you of anything?"
Nelliel picked up the sketch and placed it closer to her face, as if studying it from a closer distance would help her figure things out.
"Well. . .they kind of remind me of Pantera."
Orihime noticed the frown on Nelliel's face. "Why are you frowning?"
"I don't understand why he reminds me of Pantera. . ."
"Well, maybe he's your inspiration for Pantera."
"But how?"
Orihime could tell Nelliel was starting to get frustrated and felt it best to move on at least from Grimmjow's picture.
"Let's stop looking at his picture for now and focus on how he made you feel. That's most important." She suggested, folding the sketch and putting it in her bag.
"It is?"
"Yes. Your reactions towards this ghost is a good indicator of what your relationship was like when you knew him. So how did he make you feel?"
"Um, well. . .I felt safe."
"Safe? You weren't scared at all?"
Nelliel shook her head.
"That's great!"
"It is?"
"Yes! It tells me that whoever this ghost is, you trusted him when he was alive, and you cared about him."
Nelliel smiled excitedly, "I did trust him when he came in! I hope he comes back. Maybe he can help me?"
"I think he will. I hope he comes back for you too."
I'll make sure he does.
Later that evening, Orihime arrived in Ichigo's room.
"I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly last night."
"It's fine. You had things to take care of. Were you able to calm her.
"Yes. She just wanted someone to believe her. And I do."
She got quiet.
"Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked, a worried look on his face.
"Is Grimmjow here? Is he doing ok?"
Ichigo looked around the room, Grimmjow wasn't anywhere in sight. Neither was Shiro.
"Both he and Shiro are gone right now, doing who knows what. But he's. . .he's taking this pretty hard. From what he's told me, he and Nelliel were really close."
"I've gathered that much as well. I'd like to talk to him, about her."
"I'll go and find him for you."
Before Ichigo could open the door, though, Grimmjow popped into the room.
"Oh, there you are. Grimmjow, Orihime has something to say."
"Where is he?" Orihime asked. looking at Ichigo.
"He's on the right side of the room, next to the broken mirror." Ichigo replied, pointing in the direction she needed to go.
Orihime walked to where Ichigo pointed, and held out her hand to nothing. Ichigo noticed the odd look on Grimmjow's face directed at Orihime.
"Stop looking at her like that, she wants you to take it."
Grimmjow placed his hand in Orihime's. He wasn't expecting her to pull him into a hug, though. Neither was Ichigo, since his jaw dropped in shock.
"What's going on?" Shiro asked, popping up next to Ichigo.
"I think she's trying to comfort him."
Grimmjow tensed up at the contact, not used to being hugged by anyone. Orihime, despite not being able to see him, felt him tense up and hugged him tighter. She let go after a while, but still held on to Grimmjow's hands.
"Grimmjow, I wanted you to know that I had progress with her. Deep down, she knows you, there's just a wall that's blocking her from fully remembering. But she knows you. She says that you remind her of a drawing she did of a jaguar she calls Pantera. She doesn't understand how quite yet, but it's a step in the right direction. When you were in her room, she told me that she felt safe with you in there. She said she trusted you."
Grimmjow didn't look away as Orihime spoke. Ichigo hadn't ever seen him so quiet before.
Orihime's eyes began to water. "She still cares about you, I can tell by how comfortable she was when she spoke about you. She's so close to remembering you. So, so close. She wants to see you again. She wants you to help her remember. I know it's hard seeing her like this but please, go back and visit her. You're the best person who can help her remember you."
She let go of his hands and stepped back, wiping away from the tears that had spilled from her eyes.
Grimmjow stared at her a few seconds and then disappeared out of them room.
"He's gone, Orihime." Ichigo said, walking up to her and touching her shoulder.
"He is?" she sniffed. "I hope I was helpful."
Ichigo smiled. "I think you were."
Orihime smiled back.
"What do you want to do tonight, Dr. Inoue?" Ichigo teased.
Orihime pulled out her notebook and a pencil out of her bag. "Actually I was thinking it's time we start planning the best way to get you out of here."
Ichigo sat down on the bed, and motioned her to come sit next to him. "With pleasure."
Nnoitra and the other Espada under Aizen's command were in their secret hideout, Nnoitra repeatedly throwing knives at the wall.
"I heard you went and saw Gamuza." Yammy Llargo, whose codename was Ira, said.
Nnoitra laughed. "Yeah. Poor thing, I almost feel bad."
"You're an idiot."
It was Tia Harribel who spoke, otherwise known by her code name,Tiburón. She was the only female in the Espada other than Nelliel. And Now that Nelliel was currently incapacitated, she was the only one.
"The hell did you just say?"
"I said you were an idiot. Surely you would have realized the consequences of going to her."
Nnoitra was about to retort when Aizen and Gin walked inside. The room got quiet. They could tell by the air around them that Aizen wasn't happy.
"Nnoitra."
His voice was soft, and cold.
"Yes, sir?"
"Can you tell me what this is?"
He threw something at Nnoitra, who caught it.
Nnoitra raised an eyebrow. "It's a condom."
"So you do know something. Tell me, what's the purpose of one?" Aizen asked, his tone sharp.
"Make sure someone doesn't get pregnant? Or a disease?"
Aizen walked up to him, and suddenly kneed him in the gut. Nnoitra collapsed to his knees, gasping.
"Nnoitra, Nnoitra, Nnoitra. Clearly you weren't thinking during your last episode with Nelliel because the hospital just got the results back from her rape kit."
He dropped a paper front of Nnoitra. "They found your semen. I let it slide when you got Gamuza pregnant, but I'm feeling I won't be so kind to you this time. What will you do without a lawyer, hmm? I suggest you pray that I get you one."
Nnoitra looked up, the color drained from his face. "What do you mean, she's pregnant?"
Aizen smiled, his eyes flashing angrily. "Don't tell me you weren't aware? She's at least four months right now. Congratulations."
He began to walk away leaving Nnoitra still kneeling on the floor.
"Or should I really be saying that?"
Author's Note:
Guess who's back from the dead! (Let's be honest I'll crawl back under a rock soon)
Reviews are appreciated!
Take care and God bless,
Rose
