Author's Notes:

It has been quite awhile since the last update, but this story has been a topic of discussion between lilarin and me for months. We are glad to be coming to the end and hope we can pull it off in a way that pleases the reader.

I want to thank everyone who has stuck with the story and reviewed over the past year (or more) since we started this. Just one more chapter to go, and once we work out the details we will get Chapter Eleven complete.

With this one to bed soon, and The Pane in My Heart almost done, I hope to turn my attention to Changeling and maybe fix it up so that I feel comfortable finishing it.

Hope you enjoy. Please let me know.

Beta: lilarin

I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

Chapter Ten: In Hell

The call from Nelliel came early the next morning. He was still groggy as he picked up the phone, having not truly fallen asleep until almost dawn.

"Ulquiorra," Nelliel sounded anxious again and he sat up in bed a little more alert.

"Is something wrong Nelliel?" he grew concerned.

"No," she quickly said but then retracted, "Well I guess you could say so."

His stomach dropped. He had expected this, but yet now that the moment had come, he was surprised that it still stung.

"It's just that I am really…," she paused as she searched for the words, "I just need…I mean I want to visit my dad's."

He gripped the phone as he exhaled.

"I don't understand," he said. "Are you talking about right now? Should I book a flight for us both…?"

"No," she was quick to reply again. "Sorry Ulquiorra, I just mean…I need some time with them alone. It's been so long since I've been out to California, and since they are not able to visit next week for my birthday, I would like to see them now."

"I see," he replied.

"You're mad," she stated and he could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"No," he answered honestly. He didn't know what he felt, but anger was not it. Confusion mixed with relief, he supposed best described it.

"It's just that you never mentioned this before…"

"Well with the big party coming up…and you know turning twenty-nine is harder than I thought…and I just miss home…and maybe I want to be a little girl again…you know, because childhood was far less complicated…"

Less complicated; he wished things were less complicated. Yet at least with Nelliel gone, he would be able to think about everything that had happened the previous night with Orihime.

"I understand," he spoke softly and he could hear her sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad you do," she said. "I'll be leaving in the evening and I'll call you when I get there. And don't worry; I'll be back in time for the party."

After he hung up he swore softly. A month ago, at the barbecue at Grimmjow and Orihime's home, it had seemed very natural to invite them to attend. It was Nelliel's twenty-ninth, and her friends were throwing a huge party at her gallery for her. Now he dreaded the affair. It would be awkward to see Orihime again, and he had wanted to at least talk with Nelliel before then, but he wondered if he would even get that opportunity.

He had really screwed things up. Yet in a way the situation was becoming very clear to him. Something was not right between him and Nelliel, and as much as he loved her, he could not continue in this relationship if he had feelings for someone else. It was unfair to them both. So maybe this separation would be the best thing for now. At least until he cleared his head.

Ulquiorra kept himself busy the entire week. The party planning was all being handled by Szayel and Chizuru, so all he had to was show up with Nelliel on Friday and celebrate. Yet Friday was only two days away, and Nelliel was still in California. She told him she would fly out tomorrow with her dads and that they would part ways in Atlanta, before the men continued on to Europe for a business trip, and she returned home for the party.

They had barely spoken since she called the past weekend to tell him of her plans, and he began to feel with certainty that she was also having doubts about their relationship. She was involved with someone else. He could sense it in his bones, and he had no idea who, but he figured it was most likely someone from the art community. After all that was where she spent most of her time.

It would make sense that she would be drawn to someone who understood her world better than he did. From the very beginning he had always felt awkward around her friends and associates, but he had tried to fit in for Nelliel's sake. Yet his efforts were never enough, and in the end it had caused discord between them.

Nelliel was such a free spirit. She often acted without concern for the consequences, while he carefully thought out every moment of his life. It was impossible for either of them to truly change who they were at their core, but they had tried to find a happy compromise. Now he realized that compromise was more an illusion.

He had believed, early on in their relationship that she needed a man who could give her direction and pick up the pieces when her actions created chaos in their lives, but now he realized that he was being unfair. She was a grown woman, and a damn intelligent one at that. All he was doing was trying to control her and make her into the image of who he believed she should be, much like his mother had done to him all his life. It was wrong, and he understood that now.

He should cut her free. End the relationship when she returned. Not at the party, of course, but after they had time to recover from the festivities. She may be hurt by his decision, but in the end he knew she would welcome it. Deep in his heart he knew that she would continue in this relationship as long as she believed he needed her. That was the way Nelliel was. She loved him, but now he could see that that love may not be that of a lover, but more a protector, a friend. Much the same as Grimmjow had been when he had been a teen.

He smiled wistfully. Maybe he had stayed with her because she was the only person since Grimmjow that had taken the time to get past his cold exterior. Admittedly the two were very similar in likes and temperament. If the situation were different he wondered if maybe his friend would be the better partner for Nelliel. But who was he kidding. That was only wishful thinking; a nice solution to a problem that had no easy answers. Grimmjow -his best friend- was in love with Orihime, and she was a stabilizing force in his life. It was wrong for Ulquiorra to even entertain the idea that he should find someone else.

He let out a heavy sigh as he realized the hopelessness of this situation. There would be no simple fix. And Friday night, which should have been a happy occasion, would be nothing but a stressful event. Maybe in the end Grimmjow and Orihime would not come to the party. It would awkward to say the least. Not only because he had not spoken to Orihime since that night where he had almost slept with her, but because he had not spoken to Grimmjow either. And he was unsure about how he would handle seeing his friend, knowing what he had done with Orihime.

The situation was unbearable. Yet he supposed this was the consequence of acting rashly. He did not know how Grimmjow dealt with it as often as he did, but Ulquiorra had never done something so irresponsible and impulsively in his life. This was unfamiliar territory, but on Friday he would have to face his decision, and deal with the fallout.

Nelliel gave him a kiss on the cheek when he met her at the airport.

"Happy Birthday," he said as he handed her a small package. "I would rather you get this now, than in all that chaos later."

She smiled and opened the box, but he could tell that she was a little leery of what would be inside. Originally he had planned to give her a diamond ring. The setting would have been much more intimate, and he would have made a formal proposal. But all that had changed, and when she pulled out the earrings instead he could have sworn he saw relief in her eyes.

"Oh they're beautiful," she said as she removed the over-sized ones from her ears and replaced them with the smaller diamonds that he had settled for instead of the ring. "How do I look?"

"Stunning," he replied honestly, and he felt remorse tug at his heart. This situation was more painful than he could have ever imagined. Even with his doubts about her fidelity, and his own indiscretion with Orihime, he still cared about Nelliel.

"I will change for the party at the gallery," she said as he took her luggage and they headed for the car. "Szayel said he found the perfect dress for me, and he has such good taste, I can hardly wait to see it."

He could wait, he realized. God only knew what the flamboyant man would chose to dress her up in, but Nelliel's tastes ran very similar, so whatever it was he knew she would be pleased.

The drive from the airport to the gallery was spent in small talk. She told him of her trip and how her dad's were doing, and how it had been so good to be spoiled by them for a week. She said that she would like to go back out again soon, maybe this summer, and stay even longer. She found that she missed the west coast more than she had realized, and for the first time he wondered if maybe this man she was seeing lived out there as well. Maybe that was the real reason behind her trip.

Damn it, this was crazy, and he was a fool for assuming such things. Best to push it aside for tonight. He would have enough to deal with if Orihime and Grimmjow showed up.

He dropped her at the gallery and went to park the car. By the time he made it inside she had changed and Szayel was busy doing her hair. The dress was very revealing, as was to be expected, and Chizuru was beside herself between gushing over Nelliel and begging the woman never to leave her again for such a long trip.

"So I see you brought the old ball and chain," Szayel teased as Ulquiorra walked into her office. "Though I see Ulquiorra decided against a ring."

The man pointed to the earrings and Nelliel said in a rush, "Szayel don't say such things. This gift is very lovely."

"I suppose," he remarked, "But if you don't make a move soon Ulquiorra, some other man will."

Nelliel gasped, and Ulquiorra grew tense. Szayel seemed to sense their distress and rescinded.

"I'm just teasing," he said as he finished her hair. "After all you make such a lovely couple."

Ulquiorra could hear the sarcasm in the man's voice, but refused to rise to the bait. After all, Nelliel had found someone else, and so had he. The dreams he had had only a month earlier were now nothing but a distant memory. There would be no engagement, or wedding. What there would be though, he was afraid to imagine.

"So is that sexy animal that you went to high school with coming tonight," Szayel continued.

Nelliel made a surprised noise as she jumped out of her chair.

"Grimmjow and his girlfriend were invited," Ulquiorra replied coolly.

"Ooh, I would like to see her," Szayel grinned. "She must be pretty sexy to snag a man like that. I'll tell you, if he gave even the smallest hint he was gay, I would take him in the back room and…"

"Enough!" Nelliel turned and yelled.

Szayel paled and Chizuru gasped. Ulquiorra was shocked as well. Nelliel never raised her voice, especially with her two associates.

"Oh my," she said as she grabbed the glass of wine she had been sipping earlier and drained the glass, "Szayel, I am so sorry. It's just that…well tonight is stressful enough, being that I am having the world remind me how old I am getting…and I just don't want you trying to upset Ulquiorra…"

A look passed between Szayel and Chizuru and Ulquiorra felt dread once again. What were those two up to?

"Now Nelliel," Szayel purred as he embraced her. "No one wants to ruin your special day, least of all me. I just want you to be happy. So don't worry. I will be a good boy and leave that blue-haired, sex muffin alone." He winked at Ulquiorra and added, "But you deserve what your heart desires, dear. And I intend to make sure you get exactly what you want for your birthday."

She smiled and squeezed him back.

"You are so good to me," she sniffed.

"Yes, well someone has to save you from yourself," Szayel replied. "Now," he released her and turned to the door. "I have a party to attend to."

Chizuru followed closely behind and once more they were left alone. Nelliel twirled her empty wine glass and looked at him.

"I could use another," she stated. "Turning twenty-nine is harder than I thought."

She was being dramatic as always, but he nodded and said, "Shall I get you another glass?"

She waved him off, "I can't hide here all night. Best to go get one myself, and greet the guests."

He followed her out and was relieved to see that Orihime and Grimmjow had not come yet. And as party got into full swing and they had yet to make an appearance, he began to find himself relaxing. That was until he heard Chizuru shriek with glee from across the room.

"Oh my, aren't you the most precious thing," she crooned, "Not quite what I expected for this guy, but delicious all the same."

He caught sight of the woman as she was about to squeeze Orihime's breasts. Damn it, Chizuru was so irresponsible. He wanted to rush over and shove her aside. No one touched Orihime -except himself. And then he noticed Grimmjow, as the man swatted the woman away. No correction-no one touched Orihime except his best friend. Ulquiorra had no claim to her, and his frustration shot quickly out of control.

Orihime grew more beautiful every time he saw her. The dress she had chosen was sexy, but not in an overtly revealing way like the one Nelliel had on, and he found his body responding to the images that sprang to his mind. Images of him slowly removing that dress from Orihime's beautiful body, and burying himself within her.

He gripped the glass in his hand as Szayel came up beside him and remarked, "Oh my, she is quite the beauty. Still," he took the empty glass from Ulquiorra's hand and gave him a full one, "She doesn't quite match him. Wouldn't you agree? I mean he is like a wild panther ready to pounce and devour his prey, and she…well she would be too easy a kill."

"You are speaking nonsense," Ulquiorra downed the glass he had just been handed. His eyes focused on Grimmjow's hand protectively around Orihime's waist. "She is anything but easy…"

"Too bad," Szayel teased, "Because I think a little swapping between the four of you could be pretty damn exciting."

"Shut your mouth Granz."

"So sensitive Ulquiorra," the man laughed. "I'm only speaking my perverted thoughts out loud. Yet I'll bet that man wouldn't mind a little taste of Nelliel. After all she is one very hot woman. And the way he looks at her…"

Ulquiorra looked at Grimmjow and followed his eyes. His friend was in fact looking at Nelliel, and that look was very similar to the one Ulquiorra had been giving Orihime just a moment before. Still, Nelliel was a sexy woman, and her clothing and style were very much in keeping with Grimmjow's tastes. So it would only natural that he would be turned on by her appearance tonight.

"I believe I told you before that Grimmjow is my closest friend," he said coldly. "The man would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship."

"And what about you Ulquiorra," Granz taunted, "Are you able to stand by and watch that man touch that woman, knowing that he gets to enjoy her body anytime he desires…"

Ulquiorra turned and grabbed Granz by the collar with both hands. The glass he had been holding shattered on the floor at his feet, as he bit out, "Shut your fucking mouth."

The area around them grew silent, and below them, some of the guests looked up at the scene he was creating. Quickly he released the man. Granz smoothed out his shirt and smiled even wider.

"My, my," he said with glee, "In all the years I have known you I have never seen you so passionate about anything – or anyone."

He winked at Ulquiorra and then left him to find someone to clean up the mess. Ulquiorra looked down at his hands and was horrified to see that they were shaking. Why had he let Granz piss him off like that? He hated losing control, especially in a public place like this.

His gaze went back to Orihime, and she looked up, her eyes showing concern. He was being a fool. A fool to have fallen for his best friend's woman, a fool to have indulged in his desires with her, and an even bigger fool for allowing Granz to see how he felt. And if Granz could see it, who else would? This night was intolerable enough, but now, with Granz poking his nose into this mess, it would only get much worse.

Orihime made her way to where he stood, still waiting for Granz to reappear with a broom and dustpan to clean up the glass he had dropped. He was embarrassed from his earlier behavior and the idea of talking to her, let alone being near her, set him on edge. He could smell her perfume as she stood beside him, and the clean scent made his senses spin. Damn he wanted her. He wanted her here and now - to hell with everyone else. It was intolerable being this close to her and being unable to touch her.

"I missed you," she spoke softly, for only his ears.

"I have been busy this week," he replied coolly.

"I understand," she looked around the room. "This gallery is incredible, and all these people are so…"

"Annoying," he finished for her and she laughed.

"Only some," she looked over to Chizuru.

"The woman is inappropriate," he followed her gaze. Leaning closer he said, "And if she tries to touch you again I will have Nelliel fire her."

Orihime blushed as she laid her hand on his arm, "Ulquiorra, honestly, it's okay. I can handle her myself."

His skin burned from where she touched him and he pulled back. Her eyes fell and he felt bad for reacting in such a way, but he could not encourage her. Not here. Not now.

She took a sip from her glass and said, "I am worried about Grimmjow."

Her words caught him off guard.

"Why is that?"

"Ever since he returned from his trip to Atlanta last week, he has been acting odd."

"Atlanta?"

"Yes, for the combines."

Shit. How could he have missed that? He should have realized where his friend had gone when Orihime mentioned it before, but then he wasn't one to follow sports. Still, the knowledge that Grimmjow had been in Atlanta the same weekend as Nelliel made his head swim.

"Ulquiorra," Orihime sounded concerned. "What's wrong?"

What was wrong? Everything was wrong. The fact that Nelliel and Grimmjow had both been to Atlanta the same weekend and now were acting strangely. It seemed too coincidental.

"So this is the woman that has tamed that magnificent blue-haired beast," Granz returned.

Orihime gasped and Ulquiorra glared at the man.

"Szayelaporro Granz," Nelliel's associate introduced himself, "So nice to finally meet you."

Orihime took his outstretched hand but he quickly grasped hers and planted a kiss instead. Winking at her he said, "I know Ulquiorra can be very possessive, but I just couldn't resist."

She glanced to Ulquiorra.

"I told you earlier to fuck off Granz," he moved closer to Orihime as the man dropped her hand and smiled at Ulquiorra.

"You tell me to fuck off all the time," he laughed and winked, "Which time would you be referring to?"

Ulquiorra only stared at him.

"Oh, you mean just moments before when you so rudely grabbed me, after I had simply made the comment about how difficult it must be for you to know that Adonis gets to fuck this woman…"

Ulquiorra didn't even think as his hand connected with Granz's jaw. Orihime cried out in alarm, as Nelliel and her fellow gallery owner Urahara came rushing over.

"Oh my God, Ulquiorra," she reached out and tenderly touched Granz's bloody lip. "You hit Szayel."

"He insulted Orihime."

"I find that hard to believe," Nelliel looked to Orihime.

Orihime looked to Ulquiorra, unsure of what to do. It was at that moment that Grimmjow materialized.

"Ah the boyfriend finally makes an appearance," Granz dabbed his lip with a napkin that Urahara handed him. "I guess you're relieved of your duties Ulquiorra."

"What the hell is going on?" Grimmjow looked from Ulquiorra to Orihime and then to Granz. The fact that he refused to meet Nelliel's gaze struck Ulquiorra as odd.

"Ulquiorra just punched Szayel," Nelliel spoke up now visibly upset.

"He insulted Orihime," Ulquiorra replied.

"I just made the comment that they made a good couple…"

"You're a lying sack of shit," Ulquiorra's voice lowered.

"What," Granz smiled snidely, "Are you saying you don't make a good couple? I mean look at them Kisuke," he turned to Urahara. "These two are made for each other. And our precious Nelliel," he eyed his boss and Grimmjow standing beside her, "The electricity between her and this masterpiece of a man is so charged I'm afraid they might combust just standing beside each other. I mean it's obvious they want to fuck each others brains out, even if they won't admit it."

This time it was Grimmjow who punched the pink-haired man. Yet when he looked up and met Ulquiorra's eyes it was as if a light bulb suddenly went off. Grimmjow was the man Nelliel was involved with. As much as he had tried to deny it, his friend had been sleeping with his girl. The night Grimmjow had been to the gallery and she had been so distraught – could it have started then? The trip to Atlanta, and her sudden need to go to California – was that when they consummated it?

"It's been you all along," Ulquiorra's voice came out colder than he intended. "Why didn't I see it?"

"Oh God, Ulquiorra," Grimmjow began to back away. His gaze went to Orihime and he cursed as he turned and rushed from the gallery.