JC: I find it funny that a lot of people relate this story to Twilight. To be perfectly honest, I HAVE NEVER EVEN READ the Twilight novels or watched any of its movie adaptations. I've seen the trailers, but that's just it. Sure, I had my fill in reading various vampire romance novels and my favourites were the one written by Anne Rice, but I HAVE NEVER ONCE TOUCHED Twilight books. So whatever scenes in the previous chapters that you think is an allusion to Twilight, I guarantee that it's purely coincidental. I'm surprised myself. XD
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. If I did, Ulquiorra and Orihime would be an official couple by now and I'll have Orihime destroy Aizen…LOL…
Love in the Mask
Chapter 10: Trust not Lost
The tension was thick around the room. Rage was building up fast as Grimmjow paced around restlessly, grumbling curses under his breath. He looked like he was going to kill someone. A lesser hollow would be on their knees now with the aggressive spiritual energy he was releasing, but an Espada like Nelliel was calm and composed as he watched him. When he couldn't control his temper anymore, he kicked a sofa, sending it crashing to the wall.
Nelliel sighed at his brute display. "Will just calm down, Grimmjow? Trashing about isn't going to solve anything."
Grimmjow cracked a nearby wall with his fist. "Shut the fuck up!" he retorted. "How can I stay calm after finding out Ulquiorra left that stupid girl alone in the human world? Why didn't he bring her back?"
As soon as Ulquiorra stepped out of the Garganta and into the halls of Las Noches, he was confronted by Grimmjow.
"Looks like you went on a trip. Must have been nice, huh?" There was a hint of sarcasm and anger in Grimmjow's voice. "So, where's the girl?"
"I have left her in the human world," Ulquiorra coldly replied.
Grimmjow's eyes widened. "Left her? For what reason?"
"For what reason you say? Isn't it obvious? She was becoming a nuisance to me. I had to get rid of her. She is but a human after all, a mere trash in my eyes."
Such degrading words about her, Grimmjow could not believe it. And he thought Ulquiorra thought of her differently. His temper flared. He lunged for Ulquiorra, closing the distance between them in three long strides. He then smashed his powerful fist into Ulquiorra's jaw.
Ulquiorra staggered but did not fall nor did he fight back. He simply stared at Grimmjow, his face so expressionless.
"Damn it! You piss me off!" Grimmjow threw a punch at Ulquiorra's face again and again, trying to get an answer from him, but the latter made no attempt to fight back. He slammed Ulquiorra into the wall and lifted him up by the collar. "You son of a bitch! Do you have any idea how much that girl cares for you?" And when he refused to look at him, Grimmjow threw him aside. "Crap, I'm not taking this anymore! To hell with you!" He turned and walked away, leaving Ulquiorra on the floor.
"That bastard! He wouldn't even tell me why. I'd like to rip off the mouth from his gloomy-looking face!" He punched the wall again, creating a big hole.
Once again the female Espada sighed. "You think you'll get him to talk by force? Ulquiorra's not that gullible." She stood up and crossed her arms. "Remember, he's the Primera now."
"That makes me hate him even more!"
Just then a familiar spiritual pressure was felt. "What is all the fuss about, Grimmjow, Nelliel?" someone said.
The two waited through the short silence until the pale-skinned Arrancar walked into the room.
Through clenched teeth, Grimmjow asked, "Where is the girl?"
"What's this? Am I sensing concern from you? Am I correct in saying that you also hold feelings for the woman?" Remote coldness was present in his voice and his eyes.
Anger was reaching a boiling point. Grimmjow kept himself in check, knowing it was futile to use force again with Ulquiorra. "That's not the point! I know you care for the damn girl, so why did you leave her behind?"
"I have already told you the reason or should I rephrase it so you'll understand?"
"You freaking—"
"I've already told Grimmjow about this and I'm pretty sure you're aware of it as well," Nelliel spoke before Grimmjow could open his bad mouth again.
"Hey! Don't just butt in!" Grimmjow yelled.
But Nelliel ignored him. "You're on Soul Society's Wanted list. The murders are getting out of hand, Ulquiorra. Several officers were already sent to Karakura Town and they will not stop until you're captured or killed."
Grimmjow shrugged. "And if they try breaking into Hueco Mundo again, I'll be sure to give them a piece of my mind." He massaged his knuckle. "As much as I want to kick some Soul Reaper ass, there's one thing that's bothering me." He narrowed his gaze at Ulquiorra.
"It's been bugging me as well," Nelliel added.
"You're not the type who would just go to the Human World and kill off a bunch of pathetic humans," Grimmjow said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Unless you start telling us what we should know, Soul Society's gonna have your head on a silver platter."
"Orihime also trusts you with her heart," Nelliel said, and Grimmjow shrugged in response.
There was a moment when time seemed to stop around them. Then Ulquiorra disappeared in a flash and reappeared behind Grimmjow and Nelliel. "I am not to be trusted," he said. Before they could react Ulquiorra fired his Green Cero at them. There was a large explosion. The sheer force of his Cero had sent Grimmjow and Nelliel across the room, through the halls, and into another empty room.
The two Espada rose from the smoke and charged toward Ulquiorra with their Zanpakutou.
"It's pointless," Ulquiorra muttered, dodging their swords and appearing above them. He charged up his Cero again. "You cannot defeat me."
"Doughnuts! Lots and lots of them!" Orihime exclaimed happily. After their small walk through the neighborhood and their school, Uryuu brought her to her favorite Doughnut shop and treated her to some treats. "Thank you so much, Ishida-kun! Yum!" She munched on them like a little spoiled child.
Clad in a black coat outlined in gold, a white collared shirt and blue jeans, Uryuu smiled back. "My pleasure, Inoue-san." He had ordered one jelly doughnut and soda. "So, where do you want to go after this?"
Tapping a finger on her cheek while eating a chocolate-topped doughnut with ketchup and mustard, Orihime thought in silence. "There's this cake shop I know and I've been dying to taste the cake there," she said. "But let's go to the mall first!"
"You really love sweets. I'm surprised you don't get fat."
Orihime raised her slender arm slightly above her chin-level and pointed a finger up, as she said, "I have magically fast metabolism."
Uryuu should be glad she was beaming with energy. He should be glad that she was smiling. But he knew it was all an act. The real Orihime was suffering, and he could sense that.
Once they were done with their doughnuts, Uryuu and Orihime went to the mall. It had been a long time since Orihime stepped into the mall. Even if all they were going to do was window shop, Orihime didn't mind because she was happy to be with people again.
Just then someone called out to Uryuu as they stepped out from a boutique.
"Didn't expect them to be here," Uryuu mumbled.
As two people approached them, Orihime quickly hid behind Uryuu.
One was tall and had spiky, orange hair. He was wearing a white shirt underneath an open maroon jacket and blue jeans. The shorter one was a petite girl with shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes. She wore a white-blue dress and a white scarf around her neck. Both stopped when they saw her. The orange-haired boy glanced swiftly back and forth between Uryuu and her.
"Fancy meeting you here, Kurosaki," Uryuu greeted halfheartedly.
"We're patrolling the area," the girl said. "Spiritual pressures have been fluctuating around the town."
"Ishida, who's the girl?" Ichigo asked.
Orihime felt a pang in her chest.
"Kurosaki, Kuchiki-san—this is my friend," Uryuu introduced.
Orihime swallowed hard and quickly put on a smile. "My name is Inoue Orihime!" she said cheerfully, stepping out from Uryuu's back. "It's very nice to meet you."
The girl returned a smile. "I'm Kuchiki Rukia. Nice to meet you too," she said with a curtsy.
"You're not from around here, are you?" Ichigo asked her. "Anyway, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo."
"I've just arrived in town yesterday," she said.
"Hmm…You seem really familiar. Have we met before?" he asked.
Orihime's heart skipped a beat. "Umm…This is my first time meeting you," she lied, controlling herself from frowning. Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san don't remember me at all.
"I'm giving Inoue-san the grand tour around town," Uryuu explained.
"Karakura Town is really a nice place," Orihime said. "I could get used to living here."
"But it's a pretty dangerous place right now," Rukia told her. "Haven't you heard the news? A serial killer is out there."
Orihime remembered Ulquiorra again. You're not the killer, Ulquiorra. I know it! She pulled Uryuu's arm into her embrace and giggled. "I'm not scared. I've got Ishida-kun here to protect me," she said.
The Quincy blushed as he felt her breasts.
Ichigo blinked in surprise. "Ishida, don't tell me… Is she your girlfriend?"
Uryuu's whole face was red in embarrassment. "N-No…She's not my—"
"It seems like it," Rukia stated, giving him a strange, playful look.
"It's not what you think," Uryuu said in panic.
Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other for a moment before smiling mischievously at Uryuu. "DENIAL!" they said in unison, surprising Uryuu.
"Listen to me! Inoue-san is not—" Uryuu stopped himself as he sensed spiritual pressures.
All of them sensed it—three familiar spiritual pressures. All were massive, heavy, as if it was raining down on them like a meteor shower.
"Rukia!" Ichigo uttered, looking at her.
The petite girl nodded. "Let's hurry!"
Both of them plopped a Soul Candy into their mouths. As soon as they swallowed it, their souls came out of their bodies, now dressed in Shinigami robes. Their bodies had been taken over by modified souls.
"Nee-san!" the soul inside Ichigo's body cried out in glee as he lunged toward Rukia for a hug.
BAM!
The soul inside Rukia's body stopped Ichigo's body with a flying drop kick. "Now's not the time for your stupidity, Kon!"
"Ah! My body!" Ichigo wailed. "Kon, you—"
Rukia grabbed hold of him before he could continue and started dragging him away. "Come on, you fool! We have more important things to do!"
As soon as they were out of sight, Uryuu looked down at the trembling girl beside him. Her hands were gripping his arm tightly. Her eyes held disdain, confusion, and fear. "Inoue-san…" A wave of nostalgia hit him. Back then, in the fifth tower of Las Noches, she had asked him for a favor—one he could not refuse, one he came to regret.
She lifted her head and gazed at him with worried eyes. "Ishida-kun, please…take me there…"
Despite the dangers involved, she wanted to go. Uryuu had always considered her to be so brave. Even in a situation where she couldn't do anything, she would still be brave and face any obstacle. Her bravery was not to be compared with mere recklessness. Uryuu knew how much it would hurt if she would meet him again. The emotional turmoil might be too much for her, but he knew that she was strong at heart. Even though he feared for her safety, he was in no position to stop her. He was in no position to refuse her. He couldn't.
Gray clouds drifted through the air, tainting the sky. The stench of blood hung over the smoldering ruins of an abandoned junkyard. Here and there remains of Cero blasts lay about. As Inoue Orihime watched in numb horror, the two Arrancars she was close with bleeding from deep cuts and injuries. She and Uryuu had arrived later before the Shinigami. However, it seemed like the reapers were not able to catch the suspect in time and found the two Arrancars in their wrecked state.
Refusing to show herself, Orihime dragged Uryuu behind the old mechanic shop and continued to watch in silence.
Shinigami officers were now patrolling the area, while a captain stood near the fallen bodies of the Arrancar. He was quite short in stature, and the sword on his back seemed taller than he was. He had spiky silver hair that matched perfectly with his turquoise eyes. Though he looked young, he seemed very mature in spirit and mind. He was the captain of Squad 10, Hitsugaya Toushirou.
Ichigo had scooped up the female Arrancar in his arms and brought her over to the blue-haired Arrancar's side. Rukia was currently healing him with her kidou. The mere sight of the gaping hole in the blue-haired Arrancar's chest was enough to make his stomach knot. "Rukia, can't you heal Grimmjow a little faster?" he demanded, clenching his teeth.
"I'm doing the best I can here," Rukia replied, focusing her energy more. "I'm not exactly Squad 4 material here."
Squad 4 of the Thirteen Court Guards specialized in medical aid. The members of Squad 4, especially the female captain, were famous for their healing kidou and medical treatment. But there were no Squad 4 members at the moment. Rukia's kidou will not be enough to save Grimmjow in time.
"Damn it! That Ulquiorra!" Ichigo slammed his fist on the ground. "It was really him. You saw him too, right?" he questioned the silver-haired captain.
"No mistake… It was really Ulquiorra Cifer, who is currently the Primera," Toushirou replied.
"I can't heal a wound this deep," Rukia muttered, narrowing her eyes at the blood gushing out. "At this rate, he'll die."
Orihime couldn't stand back and just watch anymore. She ran toward Grimmjow and Nelliel with Uryuu moving like a shadow behind her. "Please, stand aside, Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san!" Her frantic cry startled them. They could only stand frozen in place as Orihime came sprinting toward them.
"That girl can see us?" Ichigo commented, blinking in confusion.
Uryuu sighed as he pushed up his glasses. "Let's save the questions for later. We have more distressing matters at hand." He looked down at Rukia. "Kuchiki-san, please move away and let Inoue-san handle this."
Rukia stood up abruptly. "Are you saying that she can help them?"
"Exactly," Uryuu replied.
As Rukia, Ichigo, and Toushirou stepped back, Orihime knelt down before her Arrancar friends. Tears dripped down from her eyes as she clamped her mouth with one hand in dismay. "Grimmjow, Nel, don't worry. I'm going to save you." She brought a hand to her left hair pin and uttered, "Souten Kisshun, I reject!" Two fairies materialized and formed a golden-orange shield around Grimmjow and Nelliel.
The Soul Reapers were clearly shocked at this.
Orihime swallowed hard as she stared at Grimmjow's wound. There's a large amount of Spiritual Pressure swirling around the hole… It's the same as the time I healed Kurosaki-kun. Ulquiorra, what's going on? Why did you hurt Grimmjow and Nel? Why?
The wounds were slowly closing. The broken bones in their bodies were patching up. The pool of blood gradually disappeared. It was a technique so unique and unbelievable. The Soul Reapers were in awe.
"This isn't healing," Toushirou stated, crossing his arms, as he observed the inside of the barrier. "More or less, it's like rejection."
"I expected nothing less from you," Uryuu told the captain. "As you've said, this power is rejection. Inoue-san has the ability to limit, reject, and negate any kind of event that happened to the target."
"Then Grimmjow and Nelliel would be as good as new after this," Rukia said, sighing in relief.
Ichigo smiled contentedly as he saw that Nelliel and Grimmjow were looking better. "Good thing you brought her along," he told Uryuu. "But is she really human?" The Quincy immediately glared back at him, startling him a bit. "What?"
"What kind of question is that? How insensitive can you get?" Uryuu retorted in a rather calm manner.
"Hey, I was only asking!" Ichigo answered back. "Besides, how come she's pretty familiar with Grimmjow and Nel?"
Uryuu stared at him for an instant before he abruptly turned his head away. "Don't ask me." Because Ichigo and the others have no memories of Orihime, explaining things that will never make sense to them will only be a waste of breath.
When the healing was complete, the two fairies went back to their dormant state and Orihime stood up to face the captain. "Toushirou-kun, what do you intend to do with Grimmjow and Nel now that they're all better?" she asked.
"Since these two are clearly not allies of Ulquiorra Cifer, there is no need for the Shinigami to apprehend them," Toushirou explained, pulling out his cellphone. "I'm going to send the full report to Soul Society."
"Thank you, Toushirou-kun," Orihime said with a sigh, and looked back at Grimmjow and Nelliel. "It will take some time until they'll fully recover their spiritual energy. I wish there was someplace where they could rest."
A light bulb popped out of Ichigo's head. "Let's take them to Urahara-san's shop!"
"Orihime!" Throwing her arms around Orihime's neck, Nelliel bursts into tears. "Orihime, I'm so glad you're all right! I was so terrified for you!" Nelliel had regained consciousness by the time she was brought into a room inside Urahara's shop.
Kisuke Urahara, a former Captain of the Thirteen Court Guards and the founder of Soul Society's Research and Technology Bureau, was a the easy-going, cheerful owner of a candy shop in Karakura Town. Soul Society would go to him if they are in need of help and he was always happy to help Ichigo and his friends.
Orihime was literally being suffocated to death by Nelliel's hug.
The former captain opened his fan over his mouth. "I hate to break up such a touching reunion but, Nelliel-san, you're killing her," Urahara said.
"Orihime, Orihime!" Nelliel sobbed.
"Um… Nelliel-san… Hello?" Urahara noticed that Orihime was turning purple.
"Orihime, please don't wander off again, okay?" Nelliel continued, ignoring Urahara.
Just then, the door abruptly slid open. "Will you shut the hell up? How the hell am I supposed to recuperate if I keep hearing your whiny voice?" Grimmjow uttered angrily, a vein popping on his head. He was resting in the other room when he heard the noise. Nelliel, in response, hugged Orihime even tighter and stuck her tongue at Grimmjow, making him feel more annoyed. "Why in damn hell are you so fucking irritating? And will you let go of that stupid girl already?"
Nelliel looked down at the purple-faced Orihime and gasped. "Orihime, I'm sorry!" She released her and started shaking her by the shoulders. "Are you all right? Please breath! Orihime!"
Grimmjow shrugged. "Pipe down, idiot!"
"Are you sure you should be up and moving, Grimmjow-san?" Urahara asked, closing his fan.
"I'm all healed thanks to that stupid girl," Grimmjow said as he sat down.
"Grimmjow, are you really, really okay?" Orihime, who had recovered, asked him.
The blue-haired hollow flicked his gaze over to the girl. Her eyes were a picture of worry and hurt. His angry expression turned into a calmer one as he told her, "Yeah, I'm fine." And he was sure glad that Orihime was fine too. After finding out that Ulquiorra ditched her in the human world, he never had a minute of peace with himself. "How have you been doing?" He knew it was hard for her to swallow everything she had experienced so far and he had Ulquiorra to blame.
Orihime smiled a lonely smile as she lowered her eyes to her own lap. "Grimmjow, why did he…" She bit her lower lip and clutched her dress. "I-I don't want to believe it…" She closed her eyes to hold off the tears that were coming. "He would never…not with a good reason… He would—"
Grimmjow launched himself toward the redhead and with one hand pulled her into his embrace. Burying her face into his hard chest, he rested his hand behind her head, entwining his fingers in her locks. "You're really pissing me off, girl," he grumbled under his breath. "I don't know what you see in that damn Ulquiorra, but if you're going to just mope around while telling us that you still trust him, then I'm going to pull your hair out!"
The female Arrancar smiled. What a hopeless romantic you are, Grimmjow… She knew how much Grimmjow cared for Orihime. Even though there was no hint of tenderness in his words, she knew that he was trying to console her.
Urahara cleared his throat. "I'll leave you guys to talk for a while," he said, getting up on his feet. "Just call me when you're done." He turned and made his exit.
Tears once again streamed down her delicate face. "Ulquiorra…" Her breath caught on a sob. "I'm sorry, Grimmjow… Even if you tell me…I just don't want to believe it."
A grimace of pain deepened in his heart. "You believe him that much? Your brain must be all screwed up."
Nelliel sighed in frustration. "Mr. Sensitive much? You haven't got the slightest clue when it comes to girls. This is a matter of the heart," she explained.
"Shut the fuck up," Grimmjow retorted.
Orihime gazed up at him, her silver eyes drinking at his angry yet handsome face. "Grimmjow, are you going to fight when you'll see him again?" she asked, swallowing hard.
"I'm going to give that guy a good beating once I see him," Grimmjow said, lifting a hand to her cheek, wiping her tears with his thumb, "but I'm not gonna kill him, even though he's god-damn annoying."
"Something is pushing Ulquiorra to do the things he's doing and we're going to get to the bottom of this," Nelliel added, smiling with assurance. "I have a hunch that it's probably the Arrancar you met the other day."
Orihime leaned her temple against Grimmjow's chest. "I-I think so too."
"Hey, Grimmjow, Urahara-san told me that you're okay!" Ichigo's voice boomed before he opened the door. "Ready to tell us what—" He immediately stopped himself when he saw Orihime Inoue snuggled against Grimmjow and she was crying. Uryuu, who was standing right behind him, was equally surprised. "You bastard! What do you think you're doing to Ishida's girlfriend?"
"Yeah, what do you think you're doing?" Ishida said before he realized something. "Hey, wait a minute, Kurosaki! She's not my—"
"Orihime is Uryuu's girlfriend?" Nelliel butted in, looking happy. "Wow! I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me, Orihime?"
Orihime blushed a little, while Uryuu's cheeks turned beet red. He stepped inside the room, holding a hand to his glasses. "You got it all wrong! Inoue-san is not my—"He suddenly felt the temperature rising. Looking over to his side, he saw an angry-looking Grimmjow staring at him. "Wait… Like I was saying, you got it all wrong."
Grimmjow grinned maliciously. "So, this girl is your girlfriend, huh?" He cracked his knuckles. "Now that's just peachy."
Uryuu felt shivers running up and down his spine. "Listen to me just this once! Inoue-san is a girl and a friend, but she's not my girlfriend!"
Nelliel and Ichigo smirked at the four-eyed lad as they pointed a finger. "Stop denying it!"
Uryuu blushed again. "NO, I'M NOT!"
"Ulquiorra took us by surprise. Every attack he gave was lethal. He was really out to kill us," Nelliel explained to the group of Soul Reapers sitting around the small tea table. She was sitting in between Ichigo and Grimmjow, while Orihime sat in between Grimmjow and Ishida. Toushirou Hitsugaya was right across her with Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa right next to him. Kisuke Urahara, the owner of the candy shop they were in, was seated next to Ichigo and Rukia.
Ikkaku and Yumichika were members of Squad 11, the squad that specializes in combat and the complete opposite of Squad 4. There were two of the officers that were sent to the Human World to hunt down Ulquiorra Cifer. Ikkaku was a shiny bald-headed guy. He always sported an angry-looking face. Yumichika, on the other hand, was a narcissist with an exquisite taste in beauty. Handsome and quite sassy, he had midnight-blue, bob-cut hair and a pair of purple eyes. His left eyebrow and eyelash were adorned with stylish feathers.
"We fought on equal grounds with him. But then Ulquiorra released his Zanpakutou. With unspeakable speed, he dragged us down. We were about to release our swords as well, but he used Castigar de Espada on us," Nelliel continued.
"What's Castigar de Espada?" Ichigo asked.
Uryuu pushed up his glasses as he said, "It literally translates as 'Punishment of the Sword'."
"Castigar de Espada is a matrix of immense spiritual energy that is used to punish members of the Espada. It was created by Szayel Aporro Granz, the former 8th Espada. However, it wasn't anywhere complete and the only damage it could do was sealing off our swords." Nelliel took her sheathed Zanpakutou and placed it on the table. "Castigar de Espada creates a seal of Spiritual Energy around the target and renders the target motionless. But since it was incomplete, it only hindered our Resureccion forms. The seal will probably last for two days."
Scratching the back of his head, Ichigo looked a bit confused and annoyed. "Ulquiorra actually resorted to cheating? He doesn't strike me as the type," he said.
"Considering that he faced off against two full-pledged Espada, you can't blame him for using such underhanded method," Uryuu said, briefly glancing at Orihime. "What I want to know is why did he attack you two? Aren't you supposed to be his allies?"
"I'd like to ask that bastard myself," Grimmjow said with a shrug.
"He wanted to kill us…At least...That's how it felt," Nelliel said, recalling the battle. "But it seemed more like he was driving us away from Hueco Mundo. Don't you think it's weird that he led us to the Human World, Grimmjow?"
"To hell with him! I wanna sink my fist into his gloomy face!" Grimmjow exclaimed, lightly driving his fist into his other hand. "I'll make him pay for the second hole he gave me."
Tapping his fan in his hand, Urahara closed his eyes for an instant, simply reflecting on the information he had just learned. Then he moved his gaze to Orihime. "Inoue-san, may I ask you a question?"
The girl's heart skipped a beat. "Yes?"
"I'm aware of the fact that you have special powers of your own, even though you're just a human. However, there is something that's been puzzling me. You seem to be very familiar with these two Arrancars here. Why is that?"
"And I don't remember introducing myself to you, yet you knew my name," Toushirou said, crossing his arms.
For a moment her mind went blank. She felt like a kid who's been caught playing hooking school. Only this was a lot more serious. What excuse can she make? Lying to them would be pretty hard, but the truth would only set out to confuse them. As she sat there, struggling not to let her anxiety show, words popped into her mouth. "I was kidnapped under orders from Aizen-san because he was interested in my powers." She felt Nelliel's, Uryuu's and Grimmjow's gaze drilling into her and wondered if she could keep up the calm face. "He kept me locked up as a prisoner in Las Noches."
"Did that bastard Aizen hurt you?" Ichigo inquired.
Orihime shook her head. "No…But he planned to use me for his own benefit."
"Who did AIzen send out to kidnap you?" Rukia asked this time.
The memory of her captor made her chest tighten. "It was Ulquiorra Cifer," Orihime said after a moment of silence. "He brought me to Hueco Mundo where I met Grimmjow and the other members of the Espada. In order to display my powers, Aizen-san had me heal Grimmjow's arm."
Ichigo recalled the second time he faced Grimmjow in battle. "Yeah, you were missing an arm when you guys attacked us the second time."
Grimmjow grumbled. "Don't remind me, shithead."
"Ulquiorra was assigned as my caretaker there until a group of Shinigami entered Hueco Mundo," Orihime said, smiling up at them. "I guessed it was probably you guys. I have no idea how the battle went, since I was locked up and all. Nel eventually came for me and got me out, so here I am now." Her heart was swelling up with emotions. "And I just know Toushirou-kun's name because Ishida-kun told me. We've been friends for a long time, but he had no idea that I was in Hueco Mundo. And he just recently found out about my powers."
Rukia's serious expression eased up. "In short, you were another victim of Aizen," she said. "Sorry you had to go through all that."
Part lies and part truth—that was all she could muster up to say. Orihime felt bad for not being completely honest to them, but she didn't want to confuse them either. Everyone, except for Uryuu and the Arrancars, had no memories of her.
"Umm…By the way, Nel…" Orihime suddenly remembered. "Where are Pesche and Dondochakka?" she asked.
Nelliel gave her an assured look. "Don't worry. They're in a safe place. I promised them that I'll go get them as soon as this fiasco is over."
Orihime nestled deeper into bed, sighing with discontentment. With Ulquiorra constantly plaguing her mind, she was not looking forward to sleep. She was about to go downstairs and fixed herself a glass of warm milk when something began to tap the window. She figured it was the wind and headed to the door. However, the tapping persisted. She wondered if it was a bird, a cat, or maybe a lost soul. Knowing there was only one way to find out, she crept toward the window, her nightdress flowing elegantly against her milky thighs. She drew the curtains and saw an unexpected visitor.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaques was perched like a cat on the narrow ledge outside, peering directly at her.
Letting out a slight shriek, Orihime stumbled backward.
Grimmjow rolled his blue eyes, letting out a disgusted hiss. "Open the damn window, girl," he said just loudly enough to be heard through the window. "It's freaking cold out here. I'm freezing my ass off."
Orihime opened the window. "I thought you were going to spend the night at Urahara-san's."
He grimaced. "There's no way I can sleep in that dump."
"What a rude thing to say."
He glared at her. "As if I'm ever polite in the first place. Are you going to invite me in or what?"
"This is Ishida-kun's room."
Grimmjow's hand shot through the narrow opening, catching her by her shoulder and jerking her back through the window until they were nose to nose. "Do I fucking care if this is his room or not?"
As Grimmjow released her, Orihime said with an awkward tone, "P-Please come in." She opened the window wider. "How did you find this place anyway?"
"It's not so hard tracking your spiritual pressure," he said as he came in over the ledge. "I'm surprised he's letting you use his room. You must be pretty special to the Quincy, huh?"
Orihime leaned out the window and peered both ways down the empty street before drawing it closed. "Ishida-kun's one of my good friends," she said.
"I think you're more than just a friend to him."
"I'm sorry… What did you say?" Orihime questioned because she didn't actually hear what he said because he suddenly lowered his voice.
Grimmjow averted his eyes, his lean face grim. "Nothing."
"Um…So, what brings you here at this hour?" Orihime asked, sinking down against the window sill.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Me either."
"Because of Ulquiorra, am I right?"
Orihime blew out a sad sigh. "To be honest, I can't stop thinking about him and his reasons for doing those terrible things…" She began to toy with the hem of the dress. "Grimmjow, do you know anything about the girl that attacked me?"
"Not a clue."
"I wonder how she's related to Ulquiorra." She turned around, smoothing her hand against the window pane, and sighed deeply.
"Stop thinking about him. Don't even talk about him when it's just the two of us. It annoys the hell out of me."
A mixture of surprise and fear flared in her chest. She started to turn toward him, but Grimmjow stepped quickly behind her and his strong hands clasped around her shoulders, forcing her to remain in place. "Grimmjow?" She tried to slip from his hold, but he was strong and easily kept her where she was.
"Don't do anything stupid like going after him alone," he said. "Don't even try. He's far too dangerous now." He was doing well in maintaining his focus and trying not to give in to the sensation he felt. She was warm, soft, and fragile in his hands.
There was a long hesitation, during which every muscle in her body tensed. "Grimmjow…I'm not sure if I—"
Ruthlessly, he cut her off. "I'll take care of Ulquiorra and bring him back to his senses. I've been itching to fight him head on for a long time and this is my chance. I don't care if he's the Primera now. I can take him on." He stopped and heaved a sigh. "I won't kill him. But if he hurts you…then I'll be forced to."
He wouldn't permit her to turn and look at him. All she could do was reach back and close her hands gently over his forearms. "Grimmjow, don't die…" she muttered under her breath. "Please…I don't want you and Ulquiorra to die… I won't be able bear it."
He bent his head, pressing his cheek against her hair. "If you had to choose which one of us to live, then who would you choose?"
There was a long pause as she thought of what to say. There was no way she could choose between the two of them. Both were important to her. Grimmjow was a friend, a comrade, and Ulquiorra was the man she loved. "I'd gladly give up my life if it were to save yours and Ulquiorra's."
Scoffing, Grimmjow ran his hands around her body, wrapping her in his embrace. She was warmer than he had ever imagined. Her scent was alluring. She was like his natural aphrodisiac as he felt so much desire. Her body went rigid in an instant. "You're like a god-damn saint, you know," he whispered into her ear before brushing his lips against the side of her neck.
She made little effort to move and turn around, but his strength kept her still.
"If I see your face…I don't know if I can stop myself," he said.
Orihime's eyes widened. "Grimmjow?"
Gripping her upper arm, Grimmjow pulled her aside, tossing her toward the bed. Quickly she scrambled to sit up and when she gazed up at him, she saw surprised to see a new expression on his face. The faint soft expression in his eyes as he looked at her was something she had never seen before. It made her heart swell up with emotions. She only managed to utter his name before he made his hasty exit out the window. Her heart was pounding in her head. Grimmjow's actions puzzled her.
To be continued…
JC: I've given you some IshiHime moments in the previous chapter and now you've been graced with GrimmHime scenes. Yeah, I'm a crazy multi-shipper, but UlquiHime is my OTP! They'll have their moment soon. Someone made some correct guesses about Ishida's sudden appearance in the last chapter, but I won't mention who. In the next chapter, Orihime will enter Hueco Mundo, but she's bringing along a companion. Feel free to guess. Please review! No flaming!