This chapter is a bit longer to make up for the fact that the previous chapter was so short.

ENJOY! And remember…every time you leave a review an angel gets its wings….ok that's stupid and lame of me to say, but you get the point.


Chapter 8: The Morning

Sunlight streamed through the hotel room window, casting a warm glow over Orihime. As she slowly woke up, she was aware of how warm she felt on one side of her body and how cool she felt on the other side. As she opened her dreary eyes, she noticed she was sleeping on the right side of the bed, and the left side of the bed was absent. It was her left side that felt abnormally cool. The brightness of the room quickly brought her to full consciousness, and as she yawned and sat up in bed she suddenly remembered where she was.

With wide eyes of shock, she stared about the room with suspicion as if an animal were about to jump out from nowhere. When she finally got over the disorientation of waking up in a foreign bed, she took a deep slow breath to steady herself. Pushing off her sheets, she stared longingly at the empty wrinkled spot next to her in the bed.

It hadn't been a dream after all. She closed her eyes trying to remember everything. It was odd: there were so many memories that were fuzzy, like what had happened between when they left the party and how they had gotten to the hotel room; but there were also memories that were burned into her memory and she knew these memories would never leave her. She remembered with intensity the pressure of his hands over her wet hot skin, the sweet kisses he'd planted all over her body, and the soft seductive words he had whispered in her ear. Her body tingled all over and she rubbed the insides of her sore upper thighs.

It would take quite a while for her to process the events of the previous night, and so she decided to put those memories away for the moment and get out of bed. The empty spot on the bed where he had slept kept calling for her attention; and she tried desperately to ignore it. When she did look at it finally it only made her feel depressed.

There was no noise coming from the bathroom and its door was wide open, showing a dark and empty room. There was no evidence of any of his belongings in the room, no clothes, shoes, jacket, or even a scarf. It was clear: he had left her…

At the foot of the bed, her clothes were folded neatly in a pile; and it was then that she noticed the little white piece of paper he had left on the pile of clothes. She stood up, immediately feeling awkward at her complete nakedness, but she chastised herself for being silly. There was absolutely no one around to see her in her naked state. It still unsettled her though, and she reached quickly for her dress, setting aside the note for the moment.

After she had managed to climb into her dress she sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the note. In elegant and neat handwriting, the note said:

I had to go to a meeting with the department this morning. I have chosen to take the position the University offered me. I hope you slept well. There is a driver at the concierge desk who can take you home.

Ulquiorra

Absolutely no indication of how he had felt about what happened last night, no indication of affection or regret, nothing personal. Anxiety burned in her chest at these realizations. Couldn't he have woken her up at least? Couldn't he have at least told her in person that he had to leave? She felt chilly and wrapped her arms around her bare shoulders. She felt empty and sad. How could it be possible that she actually missed him already? She stood up and walked over to his side of the bed and sat down next to the pillow. Leaning over, she laid her head on the pillow and inhaled deeply his lingering scent. Why couldn't he have said good-bye at least? She ran her hand across the white linen sheets, smoothing out the wrinkles, and sighed loudly.

Gathering her things, she walked over to the mirror and vanity next to the bathroom door. Ugh god, I look like crap, Orihime thought miserably to herself. Her mascara had run, creating raccoon eyes, and she looked pale with dark circles underneath her eyes. Her bright auburn hair was a tangled mess. She couldn't go outside looking like this! It was broad daylight out.

She ran hot water from the faucet and picked up a washcloth. Using the hotel soap and wet washcloth, she tried her best to wash away her remaining makeup. The soap and water did a horrible job though. The makeup was quite stubborn, having been made to withstand tears, sweat, and rain. She reached into her purse and pulled out a compact that had a combination of powder and blush and quickly brushed the colors over her face, hoping to camouflage evidence of the night before. What should she do about her hair? She was frustrated to find that the bobby pins she had used to keep her hair up in an elegant bun were nowhere to be seen. She ran her fingers through the hot water and tried desperately to tame her red mane. She could have taken a shower, but she wanted to get out of the hotel room quickly; plus, she had always hated showering in places where she didn't have her own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. After fumbling around in her purse, she managed to find two remaining bobby pins and clipped her bangs back away from her face.

After cleaning up, she pulled on her coat and scarf, slipped into her strappy shoes, grabbed her purse and left the hotel room. She couldn't stay there any longer without getting even more upset with the events of the previous night and Ulquiorra's early absence. She took the elevator down and was grateful to find that at 11:00 AM, there weren't too many people out. When she reached the lobby, she practically ran across the front of the hotel and out of the front doors. For some odd reason, unbeknownst to her, she didn't want to take the driver Ulquiorra had suggested. She wanted to grab the nearest cab and get home.

The sunshine outside was so blinding her eyes actually hurt. She crossed her arms around her chest protectively, surprised at how cold it was. She walked down the street, expecting to find a cab easily. Cabs usually circled hotels, knowing visitors often didn't have cars and needed transportation. She stood on a corner and waited for the light to turn green so the flood of traffic could bring her a cab. As she shivered waiting for a cab, she felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped, screaming out loud.

"Woah! Inoue, it's just me."

Orihime whirled around to find Ichigo standing behind her. He was wearing a brown worn-in leather jacket and jeans, and his cheeks were pink from the cold. He looked almost as surprised as she was, his hands were stuffed in his pockets and he had a canvas grocery bag hanging on the crook of his elbow.

"Kurosaki, you scared me…" She said in a much calmer voice. She was surprised that her voice came out hoarse and her throat hurt. Maybe from all the screaming last night…she thought blushing and unable to ignore the burn of lust at the memories of what Ulquiorra had done to elicit such cries from her mouth. Ichigo eyed her curiously, looking at her from head to toe.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…you look dressed up for a Sunday," he commented.

"Well..." she said looking around, hoping he'd get the hint that she didn't want to talk about why she was dressed up and shabby looking on a Sunday morning. Even though he could be slow and oblivious sometimes, it didn't take Ichigo long to realize why she was so dressed up.

"Are you just going home, now?"

"I…yeah, I guess," she said in a small voice. She looked away from him, feeling a warm blush of embarrassment coming to her face. Ichigo stared at her with wide eyes of shock. Orihime rolled her eyes and sighed. "What's the big deal?"

"Inoue…you didn't…did you?" He asked hesitantly. When she didn't respond, Ichigo pursued. "Did you sleep with him?" He asked loud enough for strangers walking by to hear. Orihime felt a strange mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and oddly enough anger.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she said through clenched teeth.

"Inoue…"

"Do you realize that you are being incredibly rude right now?" Orihime pointed out. Ichigo immediately felt shamed for intruding on her personal life. But he knew exactly what his wife's reaction would be if he told her about Inoue.

"I'm just concerned, Inoue. I…" Ichigo frowned, realizing that he was only being protective of his friend. He said firmly to her, "I don't think you should be pursuing a relationship with him, Inoue!"

"What?"

"Yeah, that's right…I said it…." Ichigo huffed, looking around frustrated and refusing to hold her gaze. When he finally started talking again, he tried to compose himself and keep a tone that would not be too imposing.

"Inoue…he's not like you and I." He started using a gentler tone. "He was a hollow and the soul that's inside his body is still that of a hollow. He never grew up like you and I did with a family and friends. He's been around on earth for a while, but he's never experienced a real and full human life. He doesn't know what it means to be human and so he could be dangerous…"

Orihime blinked, surprised at the insightful and calm reasons Ichigo was spouting. It was incredibly unlike him to be so verbose and thoughtful. His words didn't stop her from feeling increasingly irritated and offended though.

"Ulquiorra is a kind, polite, and interesting man who I enjoy spending time with. I am a grown adult woman who can make her own decisions," she said briskly, her body stiffening. "I have to get home. Please say hello for Rukia for me. Good-bye, Kurosaki."

She turned on her heel and walked across the street, grateful that there was a walk sign for her to escape. Ichigo stood in the bright winter morning staring at her as she walked away. He was stunned, worried, and annoyed- not with Inoue but with Ulquiorra. His fingers fisted in his pockets. The things I would say to that man if I saw him….Ichigo thought to himself. It seemed like the millionth time that week that Ichigo had been left feeling completely helpless and unable to stop someone he cared for from being hurt.


Rukia had Ichigo running errands for the rest of the morning and afternoon. By the time he was done at 2:00 PM he was exhausted and his mind weary from burdensome thoughts. He decided to swing by Chad's bar to hang out for a while and get some time to himself. Ever since Rukia had gotten pregnant, Ichigo's schedule had changed completely. Gone were poker nights with the guys, working late, weekend trips to the mountains, hours of video game playing and sports watching…it was obvious when he thought about it that he would lose most of his free time, but the actual extent was more than he could bear sometimes. He didn't dare complain though, not when his wife was clearly experiencing greater pain and schedule changes. Ichigo reasoned that she would not know that difference if he spent a half hour or hour hanging out at Chad's.

When he bounced through the bar doors, he saw Chad behind the bar wiping down glasses. There were only a few patrons drinking a beer and having a late lunch. The TVs throughout the bar were on sports channels, showing various different football, soccer, and basketball games. Low rock music played simultaneously in the background. Chad looked up and waved hello to his old friend.

"Yo," Chad said, putting away a glass mug and tucking the rag he had been using away underneath the bar.

"Hey Chad," Ichigo greeted as he sat down at the bar in front of his friend.

"What can I get for you?"

"Just my usual beer for now," Ichigo said with a sigh.

"Hitting it a little early on a Sunday, eh?" He said as he pulled out an iced mug and began to fill it up with frothy amber beer.

"Ugh, I need it, man."

"Rough day?" Chad asked as he passed the almost overflowing mug to Ichigo.

"Rough night, rough day," Ichigo muttered as he took a large gulp of the beer. "Uhhh, that tastes so good." Ichigo closed his eyes, leaning over on the bar with hunched shoulders.

"What's been happening?" Chad asked, leaning against the counter behind the bar.

"Rukia had me running all over town returning half of the presents Byakuya and my dad had gotten her. She had like eleven gift receipts but they weren't ordered correctly and every time I got to a store I realized I had brought the wrong receipt with whatever gift I was returning." Ichigo shook his head.

"That sounds frustrating," Chad said simply. "Taking care of a woman is not easy."

"You're telling me…" Ichigo said, his brown eyes looking distant and dark for a moment.

"Is there something else going on?" Chad asked in his usual low monotone voice, but Ichigo heard the subtle concern in his friend's voice.

"Rukia had another nightmare last night…" Ichigo said. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it, but one drunken night he spilled the news to his old friend. He didn't worry though, Ichigo knew that he could trust Chad to hell and back. The only people who really knew so far were Chad and Orihime.

Chad grunted with a frown. He could see the anxiety in Ichigo's face and he knew how much Ichigo struggled when someone he loved was unwell.

"What will you do?" He asked.

"I don't know what I can or should do!" Ichigo exclaimed, exasperated. "I'm starting to think this might be more serious than we originally thought. I'm starting to think…that maybe I should tell someone?"

"Who?" Chad asked.

"Who do you think I should tell?" Ichigo responded with raised eyebrows. "I'm willing to take any suggestions."

"Well my first thought would be Urahara."

"Yes, I know. I thought of him as well, but I don't know how much I can trust that old man. He always seems to know more than he lets on."

"He has good intentions," Chad pointed out. Ichigo shook his head.

"Chad, this is my child. I can't take any risks…"

"What about your father? He has been in a similar position as you."

Ichigo made a face. "Are you kidding me? My dad and I do not have that kind of relationship. I mean, I spent most of my life not knowing the truth about him and my mom."

"It is never too late to change the nature of a relationship," Chad said with a shrug. Ichigo eyed his friend for a moment. Chad always gave wise advice, perhaps that's why people loved coming to this bar and chatting with him. Chad's bar was a popular hangout spot after work hours and on game days. Everyone enjoyed talking with Chad, who always seemed to take a genuine interest in his patrons.

"My options seem limited, I know. The three people I thought of were Urahara, my dad, and Byakuya; honestly, I can't decide who is the lesser of the three evils."

Chad gave a half snort and half laugh at Ichigo's comment.

"You have done a lot already, making sure Inoue can be there," Chad pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess." Ichigo muttered, draining his mug of beer.

"Another?"

"No, I should probably get home before Rukia starts to worry," Ichigo said with a sigh. "I'll see you later, Chad. Oh yeah…we still on for Christmas?"

"Yes, maybe we can meet another time to discuss the details."

"Sounds good. See ya, bro." Ichigo waved to his friend as he left the bar.


By the time Orihime got back to her apartment, she was feeling incredibly down on herself. Her encounter with Ichigo and the absence of Ulquiorra that morning had created enough self doubt that she decided she wasn't going to leave her apartment for days. She wanted to hibernate in her warm, comfortable, and familiar apartment and forget the dark, cold, grey world outside. She didn't feel like taking a shower, eating any food, or even sleeping. For quite a long time, Orihime simply laid on her bed and stared at her ceiling. Eventually though, she mustered up the courage to at least take a shower and wash off the evidence of her night with Ulquiorra. The scalding hot water was just what she needed; it woke her up and helped her forget the day's events. The only thing that existed for her during her fifteen minute shower was the steaming water and the refreshing smell of her shampoos and soaps.

It was when she had just stepped out of the shower and was wrapping a fluffy yellow towel around her body that she heard her phone ring. Immediately her thoughts jumped to Ulquiorra and her heart soared with hope that he hadn't completely forgotten her after all. She leaped for her cell phone that was sitting on her bed and bounced up and down on her soft mattress. When she finally grabbed it, she hit the talk button so quickly she didn't even get to see who it was the caller.

"Hello?" Orihime said, slightly out of breath.

"Uh, hello?" Rukia replied.

"Oh, Rukia, it's just you…" Orihime said sighing with disappointment and laying down onto her back on her bed,

"Well don't sound so excited."

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else…I mean I was expecting another call," Orihime explained, forcing a laugh in order to disguise her real feelings. Rukia frowned on the other line of the phone, but thought it better not to directly ask about it until Orihime wanted to talk about it. Directly asking about it would be something only an incredibly rude person would do.

"Oh well, I'm sorry it's just me," Rukia joked.

"How's it going then? Is everything alright?" Orihime asked, sitting up in her bed and pulling her legs up to her chest. She picked at the peeling pale pink nail polish on her toes, thinking to herself that she would have to redo them soon.

"Uh…well, I was just calling to see if you were free tomorrow night?"

"I'm free every night right now," Orihime laughed dryly. "I still haven't heard about when I can return to work, so until then I'm kind of just stuck hanging around."

"Well that sounds like fun. You should have let me know, we could have gone shopping or something. I'm bored every day! I'm growing tired of the daytime soap operas and I'm dying to get out of the house." Rukia sighed. She felt incredibly lonely during the day when Ichigo was off at work. What did pregnant women do all day? Oddly enough, Renji had suggested Rukia sign up for some kind of pregnant-women yoga exercises. Normally Rukia would have never even consider it and would have giving Renji a good punch in the arm for even suggesting it, but now she was getting so bored she was actually considering it. Maybe Orihime would go to yoga with me…Rukia thought absentmindedly.

"That definitely sounds like fun! Maybe we can go to the new ice cream shop downtown? I heard they have over 35 different flavors!" Orihime's stomach grumbled as she begin to fantasize about the exotic ice cream flavors: coconut pistachio, peanut butter and cotton candy, watermelon chocolate, berry bananas and mint…

"That…wouldn't be a bad idea," Rukia said, secretly wondering if ice cream in the middle of winter would be the best idea. Honestly, it gave Rukia shivers just thinking about it. "There's supposed to be a good soup and salad place too…" She offered, hoping to lure Orihime away from cold food.

"Okay, we can go anywhere you want. You're the big mamma," Orihime said, twirling a damp strand of orange hair around her finger. "So tomorrow night? Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Uh, actually, that wasn't what I was calling about…"

"What were you calling about?" Orihime frowned. Did Ichigo get home and tell Rukia about seeing her out this morning? Orihime sighed and prepared to get defensive.

"I have an appointment with my OBGYN and I was wondering if you could go with me? Usually Ichigo would go, but he can't because he's doing Chad some kind of weird favor. I thought maybe you could give a second opinion and stuff."

"Oh…" Orihime paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Her mind had been far from medical practice lately and this was a strong reminder of the other part of her life that had been so important to her originally.

"It shouldn't be a big deal. You'll just be coming as my friend. And besides, you have an MD and you're board certified; you're still a doctor no matter what anyone says."

Orihime smiled at Rukia's proud speech. There had been many times in their lives when Rukia had given Orihime similar speeches, trying to boost Orihime's confidence and spirits. It was one of the qualities Rukia had that Orihime admired the most: strength of character.

"I'd be happy to come," Orihime said with a soft smile.

"Really? That's so great! Thank you, Orihime. The appointment is at 5 PM and I can meet you down at the University's medical clinic a little before then. Does that sound okay?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to come pick you up?" Orihime offered.

"Orihime, I'm pregnant, not disabled," Rukia said dryly. Orihime laughed at her friend's indignation.

"Okay then. I'll meet you there. No problem."

"It shouldn't be too long of an appointment," Rukia said thoughtfully.

"Yes, generally at this point it's waiting and being ready," Orihime said lightly. "So how about I call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah that would be fine. But…Orihime…"

"Yes?"

"There was one more thing I was supposed to tell you."

"What's that?" Orihime frowned.

"Tatsuki is staying in town until the end of the month. Apparently, she had let her assistant coach be in charge of their last game and they lost, so they're out of the finals."

"Oh no….that's terrible. How's she taking it? And why didn't she call and tell me?" Orihime chewed her lip, feeling guilty about what a terrible friend she had been lately to Tatsuki. As annoyed as Orihime felt every time she would get bitter at Tatsuki's poor attempts at maintaining their relationship, she knew deep down inside that their relationship was a two-way street Orihime also hadn't been holding up her end of the friendship as well.

"She's fine, actually. She said something about most of her players being juniors and that next year would be their year."

"Oh, well that's good…"

"Yeah…well that and she fired the assistant coach."

Orihime laughed. "Good for her," she said.

"Tatsuki said she tried to call you several times this morning but you didn't pick up? She left you a few messages…"

"Ugh!" Orihime tilted her head back and pulled at her bangs with frustration. "I saw those missed phone calls. I'm sorry, I've been a distracted mess this morning and I slept in much later than I should have. I'm going to call her right after this."

"I'm sure she'd appreciate it. She was a little worried that you might still be mad at us for….well you know, how things ended at the baby shower."

"No…no, not at all. I'm not even the slightest bit mad," Orihime said, her mind wandering over to the conversation she had had with Ichigo earlier that morning. It wouldn't do any good to stay mad at them. Orihime knew that they had the best of intentions. "I'll give her a call and talk to her about it."

"Good!" Rukia said with a smile. "Well, I'll let you go call her then."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Rukia!"

"Bye, Orihime."

Orihime hung up the phone and texted Tatsuki: Hey, what are you up to?

She set her phone on the little nightstand next to her bed as she walked over to the closet. While she was grabbing a few clothes to wear, she heard a beep from her phone.

Tatsuki: Just got home.

Orihime texted Tatsuki back: Want to grab a late lunch?

Orihime pulled on a pair of jeans and a silky camisole before hearing another beep.

Tatsuki: Sure

Orihime: Our usual place?

A cable knit cardigan and brown argyle socks came on and then Orihime heard another beep.

Tatsuki: YEP! Sounds good.

Orihime smiled brightly with excitement. It had been so long since she had spent one-on-one time with her best friend.

Orihime: I can be there in fifteen?

Tatsuki responded immediately: I'll be there!

Orihime grabbed a pair of black-heeled leather boots and pulled on a light purple scarf made of thin fibers weaved with thin metallic fibers, giving the scarf a sparkly appeal. It didn't take her much longer to throw her hair into a ponytail and grab her coat.


About ten minutes later, Orihime had pulled into a parallel parking spot right in front of Chad's bar. She noticed Tatsuki walking on the street away from where Orihime was parked toward the bar entrance. Her friend was wearing a black leather jacket with the hood of a sweatshirt sticking out from the back of her neck. Her usually short and spiky hair was longer than usual; its tips brushing the bottom of her jaw like a chic bob; but the hair still maintained its textured layers, creating an edgier punk look.

Orihime had always thought that Tatsuki always dressed "cooler" than her and had a much more unique style. She knew that her envy wasn't quite justified though, since the two girls had such different body types. Tatsuki could wear almost anything in a store or even clothes right off the runway with her body type. Orihime, on the other hand, often adhered to a more classic style that accentuated her curves without making her look vulgar. She needed clean lines, natural proportions, and solid colors. It had often been to Orihime's dismay that she wasn't able to pull off trendy looks when she was in high school and college (can anyone say skinny jeans?), but Orihime managed to at least look decent and well-put together.

She hopped out of her car, hoping to catch Tatsuki before she went in, but missed her by just a few seconds. When Orihime stepped into the bar, she was standing right behind her friend.

"Boo!" Orihime said loudly, making her friend scream and jump. Tatsuki turned around and sighed loudly when she saw it was just Orihime.

"You scared me!" Tatsuki said, shaking her head.

"Sorry, someone else earlier today scared me by coming up behind me and I felt like I had to do the same in order to continue the cosmic balance of karma," Orihime said laughing as she took off her scarf. Tatsuki gave her friend a confused look.

"I'm not sure if what you just said made any sense…but I'll just take your word for me. Let's get a table," Tatsuki suggested. Both of the girls waved hi enthusiastically to Chad who was behind the bar serving several patrons; it was getting to be almost late afternoon and the main football games were airing on the TVs. The games drew a lot more customers who gathered to cheer for their favorite teams. Chad gave the girls a wave and nod of acknowledgement as a greeting.

"It's probably best we leave Chad alone for a while, until things get less busy. We can go over and say hi and hang out with him later," Tatsuki suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea," Orihime said. The two girls moved over to a round tall table where they sat down on worn-in red leather bar stools with long curved chrome legs. The bar stools looked like they had been taken out of a 1950's diner and didn't particularly fit with the dark down-to-earth look of the rest of the bar. A few waitresses in black t-shirts, jeans and white aprons sprang around the bar carrying large plates of chicken wings, chili fries, greasy burgers, and pitchers of beer. Loud rock music insisted on competing with the loud speakers of the TVs and the loud, chatty, and rambunctious crowd.

"Ugh! I'm starving…" Tatsuki said as she put her coat over the red leather stool and sat on it, in order to keep it from falling on to the floor.

"You're telling me," Orihime replied doing the same thing. Both of the girls picked up plastic menus that were stuffed between the mustard and ketchup containers and a silver chrome napkin holder. As the girls scrutinized the menu, a young brunette waitress dodged her way through the crowd and pulled out her notepad and pen.

"Hi, ladies! What can I get you today?" She greeted cheerfully. The young woman sported a name tag that said "Jenny" and a bright smile showing off her nearly perfect white teeth. Her hair was pulled up tight and high into a ponytail and had several notepad papers, straws, and pencils tucked in the front pockets of her dirty white apron.

Tatsuki began listing off food within a blink of an eye. "I'll have the double bacon burger with cheese, hold the onions with the cheddar fries. And an order of the buffalo hot wings, chicken quesadillas, and the nachos and cheese appetizer. And uhm….for a drink…I guess I'll just have whatever's the special on tap."

The waitress scribbled Tatsuki's order furiously fast, nodding enthusiastically before looking over eagerly at Orihime. "And what can I get you?"

"Uhm….is it possible to get the broccoli and cheese soup put over the Caesar salad?"

"Ahhh…I guess it is; I don't see why not," Jenny said with a raised eyebrow.

"And then I'll get the fish and chips but with a side of hot buffalo sauce and horseradish."

"A-alright," Jenny said, glancing up from her note pad skeptically at Orihime. "Anything to drink?"

"Can I get a soda…fifty percent Sprite, 25 percent cranberry juice, and 25 percent carrot juice?"

Both the waitress and Tatsuki looked at Orihime silently enough for her to widen her eyes and say, "My stomach isn't feeling too good. And Sprite, cranberry, and carrot juice always takes care of my hangovers."

Tatsuki frowned at the mention of Orihime being hungover from the night before…What has that crazy girl been up to?

The waitress laughed knowingly, "I get it; my friends and I always have our special avocado, egg white, and beet smoothies after rough nights and those work like a charm. I'll get this back to the kitchen and bring your drinks right out."

The waitress turned to leave and took a few steps, but paused and turned back around to the girls. Her smile went away, and a shy hesitant look took over her face. "You…you guys are friends with Chad, the owner, right?"

"Yeah, we've known him since high school and went to college together. Why?" Tatsuki said, raising both her eyebrows.

"Oh…oh, this is going to sound so stupid but…do you know if he has a girlfriend?" Jenny asked, her face suddenly turning very pink. Orihime laughed and was about to say something reassuring but Tatsuki beat her to the point.

"Chad doesn't date his employees," Tatsuki said plainly. "And he certainly doesn't date someone underage…"

"I'm 21," Jenny said with a defensive frown in a dejected tone.

"What my friend Tatsuki means is that…Chad has a lot of respect for all his employees and wouldn't want to jeopardize the professional relationships. But, to answer your question directly: No, Chad does not have a steady girlfriend right now," Orihime said, shooting Tatsuki a reprimanding look. The young waitress almost leaped up out of her shoes and flashed her 1000x watt smile again.

"Thank you! And like I said, I'll be right back with your drinks." Jenny turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

"That was rude, Tatsuki. She was a perfectly nice girl."

"Orihime, she's practically jailbait. She's probably lying about her age, anyhow." Tatsuki dismissed.

"Well she's got to be 21 in order to serve alcohol at least," Orihime said dryly.

"She's so not Chad's type," Tatsuki said rolling her eyes. Orihime frowned at Tatsuki's negative attitude.

"Since when did you know so much about 'his type' of girl?" Orihime asked slowly. "In fact, when did you become an expert on everyone's love life?"

"Orihime−" Tatsuki started to refute, but the waitress had already returned, bouncing merrily and putting two tall curved glasses on the table.

"Thank you," Orihime said politely to the girl with a warm smile. Tatsuki settled for rolling her eyes. Undisturbed by Tatsuki's cold shoulder, the waitress cheered, "You're welcomed!" and disappeared again.

"Orihime, first of all: I have never claimed to be an expert on anything. You and I both know that Chad doesn't like brunettes."

"That's not true, Chad doesn't often date brunettes; but that does not mean that he wouldn't consider dating a brunette," Orihime pointed out as she took a slow long sip of her drink. Tatsuki rolled her eyes again.

"She's too young. She's practically Yuzu and Karin's age. Wouldn't that be weird if Chad were to date one of Ichigo's sisters?"

Orihime sipped her drink thoughtfully for a moment, trying to picture Chad holding hands with Karin. "Mmmm…I guess that would be an odd sight. But never completely out of the question. The heart wants what it wants…"

"What does that even mean? –The heart wants what it wants…the heart is incapable of thinking logically." Tatsuki took a swig of her beer, its bitterness matching her own mood.

"I think the heart knows more about us and our own needs than even our logical or conscious minds," Orihime said mildly, refusing to give into Tatsuki's more negative mood.

"I don't think so." Tatsuki stated firmly.

"What about other types of love? People do crazy things all the times for the people they love; it doesn't always have to be romantic."

Tatsuki continued to give Orihime a skeptical look. Orihime sighed, setting down her drink and trying to figure out a way to explain her position. "Take Ichigo, he's always done ridiculously scary things in order to protect his family and friends. Sometimes he does things that other people might consider really stupid, but to him it's worth it. He doesn't make those decisions based on reason or logic; if he did, he might rethink his decisions because he would know that his actions would result in certain death."

"…I guess…sort of…" Tatsuki said, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "I guess you have a point…" She looked back down at her friend, who was merely offering a warm smile and patient attention. "I'm sorry, Orihime. I've been in a terrible mood lately. My team lost…"

"I know…Rukia told me. I'm so very sorry…But I know you will get them next year! You're team is only going to grow stronger and more mature between now and next season!" Orihime pointed out, her face stern with determinations. Tatsuki gave a short dry laugh.

"I suppose…" She continued drinking her beer. "We did have a great season; and according to my assistant coach, the refs were incredibly biased and made some very terrible calls. We really need to bring instant replay and review to women's soccer!"

Orihime wrinkled her nose, "Do they even do that in men's soccer?"

The girls were interrupted with the return of Jenny, who holstered a large brown plate with food. She set down the orders in front of the girls, exhaling loudly with relief from carrying the heavy load of food. "Here you go, ladies. I'll come back and check on y'all and see how you're doing. Just waive me down if you need a refill on your drinks okay? The special on tap is bottomless tonight."

"Thank you," Tatsuki said to Jenny, feeling guilty and giving the girl a smile.

"No problem!" The waitress chirped as she bounced away. The ladies wasted no time as they ravenously started to eat their food. The food wasn't distraction enough for Tatsuki though as she eyed her best friend and chewed on chicken wing.

"So…how was last night?" Tatsuki asked slowly. "Apparently you managed to get drunk enough to have a hangover today." She kept her tone light in order to make sure Orihime would be responsive.

Orihime looked up at Tatsuki's dark brown eyes. She seemed calm and receptive. Orihime had thought hard on her way to the bar about how to approach this topic with Tatsuki. In the end she had decided that honesty would be the best route, and that Orihime would just have to make her case as calmly and rationally as possible and hope for the best.

"It was…one of the most wonderful nights I've had in months," Orihime confessed.

"Well that's great! I'm happy for you," Tatsuki said, forcing a bit of enthusiasm. She didn't want to isolate her friend anyone than she had already. She too had vowed on her way to the bar to try to keep an open mind. As she watched her friend devour her food though, she caught a familiar glint of unhappiness in Orihime's eyes. She knew her friend well enough to know when something was bothering her. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

Orihime looked up at Tatsuki hesitantly, with big worried eyes.

"I promise: no judgment. I'll just listen and answer questions if you want me to."

Deciding to take a leap of faith that Tatsuki would hold up her promise of no judgment, Orihime said, "Well…don't get upset but…I ended up sleeping with Ulquiorra…"

Tatsuki gasped/screamed so loudly that nearby patrons shot them curious glances. Tatsuki pulled out as much self restraint as possible as she tried to control her reactions. "Well…how was it?"

"It was…" Orihime continued to watch Tatsuki for signs of rejection. "Honestly….it was the hottest sex I've ever had." Both girls looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in loud giddy giggles.

"Holy fuck! Way to go, Orihime! I would have never thought the guy would have it in him…" Tatsuki said laughing. "I guess I don't really know what he would have in him…or whatever…but from what I've heard, he's supposed to be pretty intense, right?"

"Yeah…I guess," Orihime said thoughtfully. "He's very complex and so it is really hard to read him sometimes. But he is incredibly hot and intense in bed." Orihime closed her eyes with a smug smile at the memories.

"I'm not going to lie: I kind of want details," Tatsuki said, eliciting another giggle from her friend. "What? It's been a really long time since I've gotten any."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I'm on the road all the time with like 40 women and staff members! Where am I going to find the time to meet a guy?" Tatsuki said, sticking a fry in her mouth. Orihime's smile of amusement slowly faded away as she stared down into what remained of her drink. She swirled the drink around in the glass and Tatsuki knew immediately that there was more to the story. Orihime always played with her drinks when she was nervous or upset about something.

"What's wrong? Did he hurt you or something too?"

"What? No! Not at all! He was perfect: gentle but rough enough to be exciting," Orihime explain.

"Well that sounds good! What's with the hesitation though?" Tatsuki asked with concerned. Orihime took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before she gathered the courage to tell her friend the next detail.

"Well…I woke up this morning and he was gone…" Orihime said, unaware of the immediate effect that statement had on her face. Tatsuki saw the hurt immediately in the way Orihime looked down and picked at her food, how she slouched in her seat, and hunched her shoulders. Quickly, Tatsuki tried to compute the best response: sudden outrage at Ulquiorra, calling him an asshole for leaving her the morning after…or sympathy, consolation, and providing possible explanations for his behavior with the intent to raise her hopes. She finally decided to go with the second choice in order to make up for her behavior at the end of the baby shower.

"Did he leave a note or anything?" Tatsuki offered gently.

"Yeah…" Orihime muttered with a pout.

"Well what did it say?"

Orihime rolled her eyes, reciting the note word for word (of course she had memorized the note and had taken it home): "He said 'I had to go to a meeting with the department this morning. I have chosen to take the position the University offered me. I hope you slept well. There is a driver at the concierge desk who can take you home.' And then he signed his name."

"He left you a note! That's good! If he didn't care about you at all, he would have just left without leaving anything."

"Really?" Orihime said skeptically. "I've never been left the morning after…"

"That's because you're always careful about not dating complete assholes," Tatsuki pointed out.

"I can hear that you're implying that he's a complete asshole then," Orihime said dryly. Tatsuki ignored the commented and continued in her consoling.

"First of all, he told you why he had to go, which means he had a legitimate reason to leave. Secondly, he inquired about how well you slept, which means he cares about you and hopes you slept okay. And third, he wanted to make sure you got home safely."

"I mean, the inquiring about how I slept and helping me get home was just politeness, and if Ulquiorra is anything, he's polite. But, how do I know if he was just lying about having to go to a meeting?" Orihime said, the corners of her lips downturned in a pout.

"That's simple. Just call up the University and find out if he really did take the position they offered him," Tatsuki said shrugging her shoulders in return as she grabbed her burger and prepared to take a big bite.

"You think I should do that? I actually thought about it too…but I thought it might be kind of stalkerish…"

"Orihime…" Tatsuki said with a mouth full of food, "You guys had sex; I think that gives you some privileges in terms of finding some stuff out about his life. It's not like you two are complete strangers."

"Hmmm," Orihime frowned deep in thought. Tatsuki wiped some dripping mustard from the corner of her mouth, swallowed her food, and took a great big gulp of her beer. Orihime glanced at her friend skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

"How do you eat like that and not gain a single pound?"

"High metabolism," she said simply, and continued the main topic of their conversation without missing a beat. "You should confront him. Find out the truth early on, that way you won't get hurt later. There's nothing I hate more than getting led on into thinking I'm going somewhere with a guy, only to get dumped five months later."

"Confront him?" Orihime squeaked in small voice.

"Come on, Orihime! Where's your courage?" Tatsuki's voice boomed.

"But that's what I'm afraid of…finding out that he doesn't care and getting my feelings hurt," Orihime said sadly. Tatsuki paused in the middle of taking another large bite of her burger. She put down her food, and reached over and placed her hand on Orihime's hand.

"If he does that then he's officially an asshole and you'll have saved yourself from even more pain later on."

Orihime didn't look convinced and stared forlornly at Tatsuki's hand over hers.

"If he hurts you, you know that I will always be here for you. I'll be waiting with tissues and ice cream on your doorstep," Tatsuki said gently, giving Orihime's hand a small squeeze. Orihime smiled at her friend; she felt better now that her friend was supporting her.

"Thanks, Tatsuki. That really means a lot to me," Orihime said quietly. "What changed your mind? Last time, you were completely against me even going on a date with him."

"Well…I felt incredibly bad when you left, you know that? I felt like the world's most horrible friend; and I thought about it later and realized I was being a jerk. You can make your own decision, and my job as a friend is to support you no matter what. I mean, I'm not gonna lie: between Ulquiorra and Ishida, I would choose Ishida for you. But it's your life," Tatsuki explained with a shrug. "Besides, the truth is…I don't even know the guy….I've only heard things about him from you and everyone else. And he has been living as a human in this world for quite some time. If he's able to blend into society, make a living, and keep quiet without disturbing Soul Society, then how bad can he be?"

"Exactly!" Orihime cheered. "I'm glad you see it my way."

Tatsuki cringed; it wasn't that she saw things exactly Orihime did…she still thought that this relationship between her and Ulquiorra was a train wreck waiting to happen, but there was nothing going on right now to cry wolf over, ignoring the abandonment last morning. Tatsuki took a soppy fry and dipped it completely in ketchup before putting it in her mouth.

"Yo!" A masculine voice cried out at the ladies. When they looked up, they saw a man with long red dreds held with a blue hair band and several tattoos all over his body. He wore a pair of Converse tennis shoes, a faded worn-in jean jacket, and a blue t-shirt underneath it. It never ceased to amaze Orihime how men could go through winter cold without a real winter coat.

"Hey Renji," Tatsuki said as the man approached.

"Inoue, Arisawa," Renji stated their names as his salutation. "I came to have a beer and hang out with Chad, but he's super busy so he sent me your way instead."

"Well gee, thanks, I guess that makes us your second choice," Tatsuki said sarcastically. Renji leaned against the table and grabbed one of Tatsuki's fries, shoving it in his mouth, unperturbed by Tatsuki's lack of a warm welcome.

"You, second choice? Never!" Renji said mockingly. "We could resume our game of pool," Renji offered. Tatsuki rolled her eyes, uninterested in his offer.

"Actually, I have to get going…" Orihime said hopping off of her chair and grabbing her purse. She pulled out a few bills and left them on the table. "Why don't you take my seat, Renji? You can have my leftovers."

Renji looked down at Orihime's meal and made a face. "Uh…no, thank you. I'm quite alright as far as food goes."

"I've got to get going too," Tatsuki said hopping off her seat.

"Why? Where else do you have to be?" Renji seemed to be asking only Tatsuki this question, despite the fact that both girls had announced they needed to be somewhere else.

"That's none of your business," Tatsuki clipped.

"Awww…come on, Arisawa! Are you scared I'll beat you?" Renji teased.

"You should stay, Tatsuki!" Orihime said, giggling. It had become clear to Orihime some time ago that Renji had a crush on Tatsuki, although it was nowhere near Tatsuki's radar.

"Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink and you pay for the first game," Renji bartered. Tatsuki folded her jacket in her arms and sighed. She really did have nowhere to be tonight. If Orihime had plans, then she was planning on just heading home and watching some footage of her team playing or whatever mindless show on TV that happened to look somewhat interesting.

It was fun to hang out with Renji…Ever since Ichigo had gotten hitched, the two old friends hadn't been able to hang out as much as they used to. It was an unfortunate side effect of married adulthood that Tatsuki begrudgingly accepted in her friends' lives, but steered clear of in her own life. Renji, though, was single, readily available whenever Tatsuki had some energy to burn and wanted to either play basketball or tennis, and treated her as one of the boys, just like Ichigo had. It was nice to have girl time with Orihime, but Tatsuki never got very far discussing sports statistics or getting Orihime to put on tennis shoes and go to the gym with her. Tatsuki even had to admit sometimes that Renji could be pretty funny with his lame jokes. He definitely was more laid back than Ichigo ever was, and so Tatsuki wasn't the one to usually try to convince him to do something. In fact, it was the other way around; it was always Renji who wanted to hang out.

"Oh, alright…but you're buying me two drinks," Tatsuki warned.

Renji just grinned and shrugged. "Whatever gets you drunk, Arisawa."

"Haha, well have fun guys. I'll see you all later this week sometime!" Orihime said, waving good-bye to them as she moved toward the exit. Neither of them heard her though since they had already started arguing about who had been winning the last time they had played.


After dialing 411, Orihime found the University's phone number but only got answering machines. It should have been expected since it was a Sunday, but Orihime reasoned that if Ulquiorra had a meeting that morning, then there had to be people around. She headed toward the University's main campus, and after parking her car, she wandered around lost for a while before she found the building that housed the Philosophy Department. She stepped inside and was grateful to find a little map of the building, along with a directory of offices listed underneath the floor plan. She didn't see Ulquiorra's name on the directory list, but this was also to be expected. If the man was just hired today, she doubted that he had anything in this building that belonged to him. Instead, Orihime settled for heading toward the Philosophy Department's main office, where she hoped a lingering student, professor, or staff member might be able to confirm where Ulquiorra was.

The entire floor was dead quiet and most of the lights were turned off, except for a few small lights over plants or drinking water fountains. A few signs glowed here and there, indicating a bathroom for males or females. While it could have appeared creepy and desolate, Orihime had grown accustomed to this kind of environment, having been an intern and resident who had worked many night shifts. As she walked down the hall, each of the motion-censored ceiling lights turned on, one by one.

At the end of the dark hallway, a door was wide open and yellow light streamed out. Orihime headed toward the sign of life and found a moderate sized office room with several books on bookselves, file cabinets, office plants, large printers, and two large desks- each with their own little computer. Behind one very old and scratched up wooden table, sat a young raven-haired girl with thick-framed glasses who typed away at a computer.

"Excuse me, Miss…" Orihime said softly knocking on the outside of the opened door. The girl looked up from her computer when she heard Orihime's voice.

"I was wondering if you heard anything about Ulquiorr…er, I mean, Professor Schiffer coming to work here?"

"Oh yes!" The girl replied, delighted. "They actually just told me this morning! I was so excited about it." Orihime felt her lungs fill with fresh air for the first time that day. This was promising news! Ulquiorra wasn't lying after all!

"It hasn't been officially announced yet though, so no one is supposed to know…" The girl said, suddenly turning deathly serious. "I'm sorry, actually I wasn't even supposed to tell you that! I was just so excited when they told me this morning."

"Oh, don't worry. I sort of already knew, but I just didn't have confirmation."

"Do you know him?"

"Professor Schiffer? Yes, I do…" Orihime said, looking away from the young girl.

"Well…if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone that I told you they hired him already?" Orihime suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, who in the world would Orihime tell that would actually matter?

"Sure."

"He's actually here right now…" The girl whispered, probably unnecessarily. This piece of news caught Orihime's mind immediately.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's in his office, settling in with some of his stuff."

"Could you tell me where his office his?" The girl looked hesitant at Orihime's request, she quickly tried to placate the young student's worries. "He and I know each other quite well already."

"Oh, well in that case, he's just down through that door," The girl pointed to a inner doorway that led to more offices.

"Great! Thanks so much!"

When Orihime finally found Ulquiorra's office door she was oddly surprised at how homey it seemed despite the limited amount of time Ulquiorra had been in residence. A big brass sign on the door said "Ulquiorra Schiffer, PhD" along with a whole other series of letters and acronyms related to his credentials. There were a couple of make-shift "Welcome Professor Schiffer!" stuck with scotch tape onto the door, written with what looked like different colored highlighter pens. On the door knob hung several green Mardi Gras beads. Did they have some kind of party or something? Orihime frowned as she looked back to the desk the grad student had been sitting at. They must really be excited to have him be a professor here, Orihime thought.

Ulquiorra's door was open a crack and light streamed out from the small beam. Orihime hesitated for only a moment before raising her hand and knocking.

"Come in," A voice responded. Orihime chewed the bottom of her lip nervously. He didn't sound too friendly. Her suspicions were confirmed when she opened the door and found Ulquiorra sitting behind his desk with piles of books and papers all around him. He didn't look like he had been in a good mood, but when he saw his visitor was Orihime, Ulquiorra's voice turned into a void of emotion. Orihime couldn't tell if he was happy or upset to see her.

"Hi…your grad assistant said you were in so I thought I'd just come by and…" She trailed off, standing nervously in front of the opened door.

"Close the door behind you," he said, pushing back on his office chair and getting up. While Orihime slowly closed the door so as to make as little noise as possible, Ulquiorra walked around his massive desk and stood before Orihime.

"Wow, you've settled in quite quickly!" Orihime observed as she looked around the well-organized office. Several file cabinets stood against a wall while the opposing bookshelf wall was filled with books from the ceiling of the room to the floor. A plant sat in the corner uselessly and light from the setting sun streamed through the blinds of the large window behind Ulquiorra's desk.

"The students and department prepared the office for me."

"Really? That's incredible; having grad students must be like having little work elves running around for you!" Orihime joked, laughing nervously. Ulquiorra did not seem to appreciate her joke. His face remained emotionless; and despite his intense green stare, he maintained his general aura of indifference.

"What can I do for you today, Dr. Inoue?" He said calmly and quietly. His green gaze did not move from Orihime's face. Orihime blinked several times, taking in his curt response. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

"Well, we didn't get to say good-bye this morning…and…"

"And?" Ulquiorra prompted when a long silence had passed without Orihime finishing her sentence. Ulquiorra crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against his desk. He half-sat on the ledge of his desk as he regarded her.

"And…I dunno, I feel awkward about what happened. I thought maybe we should at least talk about it." She fumbled with the strap of her purse nervously. Ulquiorra watched the extremely anxiety ridden Orihime squirm, feeling slightly amused in the back of his mind.

"I apologize if you thought my note was not a sufficient enough of a good-bye," he said carefully. Orihime squinted at him, partly because the blinding light behind him turned him into a dark shadow but also because she didn't know how to read what he had just said. It sounded like he was patronizing her…

"No…well…yes. I would have appreciated a chance to at least say good bye to you in person. I mean, don't you feel weird not saying anything face to face after what happened between us?"

Ulquiorra studied Orihime thoughtfully for a quiet moment before stating an observation. "I have noticed… in the limited amount of time I have spent with you, that you are incredibly focused on 'feeling weird' and 'feeling awkward' about situations, Dr. Inoue. Perhaps you should see a medical professional who specializes in the psychological well-being of humans so you can explore why you often feel this way in social situations."

Orihime stared at Ulquiorra with a deadpan look. Was I just insulted? Orihime thought in confusion, shaking her head.

"We…we…spent the night together and you have no thoughts on it? Do you feel anything towards me?" Her voice had slightly cracked and she could feel her mouth becoming dry and her throat becoming itchy. Orihime tried her best to keep her face as plain and emotionless as Ulquiorra's face at the moment. But a quiet panic was growing inside her, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her emotions in check.

"Feelings?"

"Yes!"

Ulquiorra took some time to ponder this before replying.

"I do not know how I feel about you at the moment," he said simply.

Orihime stared at him in shock.

Orihime felt everything inside of her crumble; she had built a tower of hope with the little amount of time and emotions they had shared and she thought they had shared….something special. And now, he managed to crush it with just one sentence. A painful tight feeling came to her chest, and she could feel her cheeks turning bright red with embarrassment.

"You didn't think what we shared was…" Orihime's voice came out small and high-pitched with an impending hysteria. His intense green eyes regarded her speculatively, his arms still crossed and he still leaned against his desk casually.

"What we shared was physical," he said, confused and trying to complete her broken sentence.

"…Just physical?"

"You said you had not been with a man in quite a while…and I was only trying to fulfill your needs…Were you unsatisfied?" He asked calmly, masking his anxiety and concern. Orihime was beyond noticing the slight nuances of his reactions at this point. Rage had made its way into her body. She could not believe how casually he was treating all this! As if what they had shared was merely some kind of transaction; as if she didn't matter at all to him.

Swallowing hard, she stood there silently, slowly processing his words. Orihime could feel the incoming storm of tears. She needed to leave. Memories of their night together flashed ruthlessly in her mind, mocking her. Behind her shattered heart was a great veil of pain and anger.

She didn't need something just physical, dammit! She needed someone to be there for her, to really listen to her, to hold her and accept her for who she was and not who they wanted her to be. She had hoped that Ulquiorra would be different. She had hope that maybe they could start something new- something different from what she had with Ishida…she wanted to be a different person with him. Now, Orihime saw that Ulquiorra was definitely different from her friends, but different in a completely opposite and wrong way. He didn't give a damn about her.

"I'm sorry I came and bothered you. I'll leave you so you can get back to your work," she managed to squeak out before turning around so he couldn't see her tears forming.

She hastily brushed away the tear that was coming down her cheek as she opened the door and bolted from the office. The storm of tears had started already though, and as she passed the grad student's desk the girl looked up curiously at the crying woman Ulquiorra had just sent running down the hall.

Ulquiorra stood helplessly in his office overwhelmed with two emotions: confusion and surprise. Firstly, he did not know why she had gotten upset so quickly; and secondly, he could not believe how quickly the events had taken place with so few words exchanged between them.

"Professor Schiffer…is everything alright?" Rei meekly asked. She had poked her head inside the professor's door when she saw that it had been left wide open. She noticed her professor's deep frown.

Ulquiorra shot Rei the most menacing glare she had ever seen in her life and barked in a low and harsh voice. "Get out. And close the door behind you." Rei nearly jumped in her shoes with terror at the command. She closed the door immediately and walked quickly away.

Ulquiorra let out a loud and frustrated breath as he spun around and stalked over to the large windows behind his desk. Setting his hands on the window's ledge and looking outside, his whole body slumped over dejectedly. He stood hunched over, resting his forehead on the glass as he stared outside. His breath fogged the cold glass window, but he could still see the red, orange, and pink sunset. The clear and cold winter air made the sunset even more clear and beautiful. Ulquiorra barely took notice of anything though. He stared at the shadowed cement ground. Maybe he would see her exiting the building? A frown remained on his face as he watched the sidewalk underneath his building remain empty except for a few hopping birds.

He was so confused about what had just happened. What he had said was true; he really did not know how he felt about her. Whenever he thought about Dr. Orihime Inoue, a million feelings bombarded his brain. He absolutely couldn't separate his feelings out into pure concrete thoughts; the kind of thoughts that he could analyze, critique and eventually make a decision based on. He closed his eyes as memories of their night together flashed through his mind; just thinking about her white luscious curves, her soft moaning and pleads, the way her body moved under his touch made him hard.

He took a deep breath, exhaling loudly as he willed away his lust for her so he could think rationally. The way he felt about her physically was the one thing he was sure of, and he had tried to convey this to her. Perhaps she did not feel the same? He thought her response to him last night meant she found him pleasing, if not adequate. Perhaps she was unsure of how she felt about him physically? The thought made Ulquiorra feel despondent for some reason.

Seeing that nothing was happening outside, he turned around and flopped down into his chair. This whole encounter had been unsettling for him. How could one woman make him, Ulquiorra Schiffer, feel so uncertain about everything?


A/N: Tada! Hoped you liked this extra long chapter. I know some of it's kind of fluffy fillers, but I promise there will be plenty more Ulquihime.

There will definitely be the development of two new relationships during the course of this story.

And I've got a lot of surprises up my sleeves and I am dying to share them with you! Hope you hold on for the ride!

I love reading your reviews; they mean a lot to me and when you make suggestions or ask questions I definitely try to respond. See ya at the next chapter!