Her head was pillowed on her arms at the end of the bed, her hair loose from any constrains as she looked up at the ceiling of her room. Orihime had opted for some more modern sleeping wear as the weather was steadily getting colder. It had been around five days since the wedding and the rest of her family had departed, leaving only her and Aizen as the highest ranking people in the house. Cold, prickling fingertips went down her back at the slightest hint of that man, and here in private she didn't have to hide it.

The elder man was good at dancing, but he didn't have any spirit in it, even less than Ulquiorra. She had not dared to look in his eyes though custom dictated it. She was afraid if she did he would see the fear in them. Unable to place her finger on the problem though, she had had to muffle a sigh of relief after the dance was done. Orihime wondered vaguely if she had somehow presented an offense when she fled his side when he opened his mouth to say something.

Something she had learned was that she could not turn back time and not remove the traces of what she had already done, so it was no use in dwelling in the past as she was keen too. Orihime was lonely now though, because everyone seemed busy. She looked at the flower designed clock on the wall and sighed, it was only six. She was thankful for the rapping on the door a she sat up, "Yes, come in Ulquiorra?" She called, pulling her hair back from her shoulders.

"It is not me who wishes to see you." He replied, certain coldness to his voice that had her fearing it was Aizen come to talk to her, but when she turned it was someone she had never seen before.

"Um…hello," said Orihime, looking down to the short woman, her chocolate brown hair in a bun while a cloth cap held it together while her brown eyes looked up shyly. The girl bowed politely before standing.

"Hime-sama, I'm Momo Hinamori, It's nice to meet you," she said with a small smile spread across her lips. "I'm an acquaintance of Aizen-sama and also a student at Karakura High School." At the mention of Aizen's name, Orihime's eyes widened a bit, but the fact that she attended the High School she'd soon be attending lowered some of her worries. She stepped out of room with a kind smile.

"Oh, it's very nice to meet you, Hinamori-san." She glanced behind the girl to where Ulquiorra was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and looking as if he wasn't listening to the conversation at all, though Orihime knew that would probably not be the case.

"Aizen-sama wanted me to meet you, that way you had one more friend. He said the more people you know the easier the transition would be going from homeschool to a regular high school." Her voice was sweet and warm, but Orihime couldn't help but wonder why Aizen was being so kind…even though he had always been "kind" to the Inoue family…the princess brushed the thought to the side for now.

"How kind of Aizen-san to do that," she said quietly. "Hinamori-san, would you like some tea?"

The girl who looked only a little older than Orihime hesitated a moment before a warm smile spread across her lips. "Sure, that'd be nice, Hime-sama."

Orihime walked up to Ulquiorra and held her hands under her chin, putting on one of her best puppy dog faces, "Ulquiorra-kun, will you please go fetch me and Hinamori-san here some of the tea Rangiku-chan has stewing around the kitchens?" She smiled widely as he looked down at her, certain she saw a small twitch at the corners of his mouth.

"Is there a particular kind Hime-sama would like?" He asked, already heading to the door.

Shaking her head, the girl returned to face Hinamori who had taken a set on the chair and was giving her a curious look. "You have a question?" Orihime tilted her head, quite excited to have someone who went to the school she would be going to come to visit her.

"Does he always refer to you as Hime?"

Taken aback, Orihime nodded, "Yes, I think it's because he wants to stay respectful, and calling my Orihime would be rude in his eyes." She was at a loss for why Momo had started giggling. "Well, can I ask you some questions?"

"About the school?"

"Yup! What kind of classes do they have there? Who are some of the people in your class? Are the teachers nice? Do you actually stay in one room and the teachers magically warp in when a huge gong rings?"

Hinamori's eyes widened at the last question and when Orihime's expression didn't change from curiousness, she laughed and scratched her head. "No, no. They come in through a door like everyone else. Um, well we have a lot of classes—mathematics, history, Japanese, cultural science, music—"

Orihime listened intently, excited about what was to come. She would get to interact with people! She'd make more friends and maybe even go to parties! Or something…

Instead of Ulquiorra coming back to the room with tea, it was Rangiku carrying a tray and a wide smile. Orihime smiled at her good friend, also the head of the servants here at the Inoue household, and took a cup off the tray.

"So this is the person Aizen-sama sent?" her bright blue eyes turned to Hinamori who nodded with a nervous smile.

"Yes, that's me."

"Rangiku-san," said Orihime as she took a sip of tea. "What's for dinner tonight? I'm hungry." Her stomach growled and she held her stomach with a small laugh. Rangiku's eyes widened and she scratched her head, throwing her head back to laugh.

"Oh, dinner? Right, we're working on it now, Hime-sama." She was careful to use the respectful suffix in front of other people, but before Orihime could ask any more, she stood and bolted towards the door. "Enjoy the tea, Hime-sama!"

Rangiku smiled and turned back to Orihime, her eyes sparkling.

Orihime frowned a little before turning back to a disappointed looking Hinamori, "See, Ulquiorra's not the only one Hinamori-san. Can I call you Momo; it would be quicker in conversations. I'd also like to call you a friend!"

"Already?" Momo blinked when the princess nodded. "I guess, I'd like that Orihime." She said shyly before taking a sip of tea. "What else do you want to know?"

Tapping her chin, Orihime frowned with thought, "What do you eat?"

Such odd questions. Momo laughed to herself as she tried to explain the concept of buying or bringing lunch to the school to the overly-kind girl before proceeding to where they ate and with whom she usually ate with. "Well, um, there's Chizuru, Ryo, Tatsuki." She smiled at the exclamation of recognition the younger female gave. "Also Renji, Ichigo, and Izuru."

Orihime picked up on the undertones and smiled widely, "You sound like Rukia when she used to talk about Ichigo when you say that man's name." She poked Momo, already at ease with the girl even though she was a friend of Aizen's.

"Oh! No, I don't like Izuru like that. He's just an old friend." Momo hastily denied, eyes wide. "I prefer someone older actually."

"Oh, older, huh? That can be dangerous!"

Momo shrugged her shoulders, her cheeks turning red. "A-anyway, Orihime—it is alright if I call you that, right?"

Orihime nodded. "I'd prefer that, actually!" Before either of them knew it, they were talking away, giggling at times and sometimes losing themselves in laughter—and Orihime felt something she hadn't felt in a long time—like she was close to someone outside of the household. Actually, she was pretty sure that this was the first time she'd felt this way—besides with Ichigo. But that was a different sort of feeling.

Ulquiorra walked down the hallway towards Orihime's room, hands tucked neatly into his white pants, he could hear the princess and her guest's joyous laughter all the way down the hallway. He nodded, it was good for her to find out how the real world was if she was going to be there for many hours for a time. Opening the door, he wasn't surprised to see the girls on the floor, looking over the pictures Orihime had drawn or painted.

She looked up and smiled, "Hello Ulquiorra-kun! I was wondering, do you think I'd be allowed to join the wrestling team?"

Any answer he would have made was cut off by Momo covering her mouth after giving a shrill cry of laughter, "Orihime! I thought you were joking about that!"

"Why would I joke about it? It would be fun! I bet I could beat them all!"

Her face fell as Ulquiorra calmly replied, "I do not believe your father, mother, or brother would approve of that. They would not want you risking harm when you are the only daughter of the Inoue family."

"I'm not getting married off." She said stubbornly, that being the only reason she could come up with for them thinking that way. She had started thinking of the other clubs she could join then, so she missed his slightly narrowed eyes before she turned back to him, "Did you need us for something?"

He nodded brusquely, "It's seven in the evening and Rangiku would like me to ask if Hinamori-san is staying."

The girl in question shook her head, standing quickly. "No, sorry, I should have actually left sooner." Blushing, she excused herself and then hurried out, but not before stopping at the door and smiling, "See you at school Orihime."

Orihime smiled widely as , looking at Ulquiorra, "Is it dinner time then?"

He nodded and turned back towards the door, watching as Hinamori left for the exit. He crooked an eyebrow, wondering if Aizen really did have the princess's well-being in high regard. When Orihime tapped him lightly on the shoulder he turned his head back.

"What is it, Hime-sama?"

Orihime smiled nervously. "Dinner?"

Ulquiorra's expression remained the same as he nodded. He walked out of the room and let the princess towards the dining hall. She played with the ends of her long, orange hair as they walked, and part of him wondered what exactly she was thinking about. Even though it wasn't his business, he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Is there something wrong?"

Orihime's gaze shot up and she shook head. "No…no nothing…."

He turned his head back towards the front and continued. "You're not very good at hiding things, Hime-sama."

Orihime looked down to the ground, her bangs shading her eyes. "Am I? Well…" usually, people wouldn't notice things like that—they would play it off as her being tired or exhausted from the day's events. But Ulquiorra, her personal guard, always seemed to know when something was wrong, or she wasn't feeling well. "I'm just…it's okay to be a little nervous, right? For school?"

She felt his gaze on the top of her head but he seemed to decide to let it drop because he did not pursue the topic. Instead, a small package was forced into her hands. Looking up confused, she was startled to see him looking away. "This was outside your door when I came to fetch you, I belief it was meant for you." Orihime returned her attention to the poorly wrapped present and smiled, she had nearly forgotten it was her birthday, she wondered what kind soul had remembered.

Quickly opening it, she clapped a hand to her mouth. It was a rather plain bracelet, but the light shone off its pure silver band and the chain clasp was cool to the touch. She even had a sneaking suspicion of whom it was, but she didn't want to embarrass him, he might see it as his duty to remember such details, but it was still kind of him. So, Orihime smiled up at her guard, "If you do find out who it was from, please tell them thank you and I won't take it off except to show or when I'm doing something that might lead to me losing it."

"I will try and convey this to them Hime-sama." He replied in his classic cold tone, but the princess ignored that and skipped ahead, feeling happier than she had in days. "Hime-sama, Rangiku requests you eat in the kitchen tonight, Aizen is having a meeting in the dining room."

The night was getting better and better! She would not have to eat with the man she….very much disliked, and she would maybe be allowed to help in the kitchen when she was finished eating!

She continued to follow Ulquiorra to the kitchen, noticing how quiet it was. Usually she would hear the sounds of clattering pans or something like that, but this time there was absolute silence. She watched Ulquiorra walk in front of her with his hands tucked neatly into his pockets. He didn't seem worried or on guard, so she assumed everything was fine.

Ulquiorra opened the door to the kitchen and she was surprised to see it totally dark. But before she had time to think about it, the lights flipped on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HIME-SAMA!"

Orihime jumped a bit and gazed wide-eyed at all the servants and guards of the Inoue Household. They were all smiling cheesily, minus some of the guards like Starrk—the kitchen was decorated with streamers and balloons, wishing her happy seventeenth birthday in every which direction.

"You guys…" she found herself tearing up, her heart was so full of happiness. "You...did this all for me?"

It was Rangiku who replied, her grin as wide as a Cheshire cat's. "Of course! Why wouldn't we?"

The teenager threw her arms around the housekeeper's neck and hugged her tightly before backing up to look around at all of the group. "Thank you all so much!" She said quietly, but with heartfelt thankfulness. There wasn't a single way that night could become better, not even if her brother showed up. She didn't resist as she was pulled to the side by Starrk, instead giving him a tight hug as well.

"Don't cry now." He said in a lazy voice, pulling her chin up. "Smile okay, child. Here." He put a box into her hands and then drifted off to talk Lilynette down from eating before everyone else it appeared.

Not the least put out by his odd behavior, she looked down at the box. If she opened it now, she would have all the other gifts foisted on her and she was really hungry, but something told her it was important. She decided to tuck it under her arm and open it halfway through the meal. At least then she would get half a dinner before it was removed from her sight.

Seemingly called up by the very thought of food, Yuzu Kurosaki, a short girl with caramel colored hair, appeared at her side. The little sister of Ichigo had stayed at the house as an apprentice to Rangiku after the wedding and was happy to help her brother's friend to the meal she had helped create. "I'll try not to let anyone disturb you until you're good and ready." She said sweetly before moving away to be replaced by Ulquiorra, Orihime's ever present shadow. The image that called up made her giggle.

"Thanks, Kurosaki-chan," she turned to the present and pulled it out from under her shoulder a moment later. She pulled the ribbon off and then quietly peeled open the wrapping paper, glad that everyone had gone into their own conversations. All besides Starrk and Ulquiorra, who were watching her every move. She lifted a brow before she tore away the last piece of paper—a metal box? It was about the size of a hand and a half, she shook her head continued to open the box curiously—when she opened it, a shriek almost escaped her lips.

A…a gun?

Our apologizes for not updating in forever! We both had our last weeks of school and everyone was running around like chickens without heads. We hope this makes up for half of it, and maybe this was a little cliffy?

~NightDreamers