A/n: Just a quick note about this chapter. It has manga spoilers :), so if you only watch the anime and don't wish to be spoiled, I'd suggest you stop reading.

Chapter eleven

Getting out of Las Noches had not been so easy, even so for Ichimaru. We figured with his 'okay' it would have been simple. A few of the guards had said I wasn't allowed to leave, and it took a lot of persuasion for them to let me go.

Gin seemed to expect this little hitch, and it made me more suspicious of what Aizen was up to. Everything under the 'light' of Las Noches was his- and everything was monitored. Ichimaru and I couldn't talk there, therefore we needed to leave. It seemed to be the thing Aizen was trying to stop, and we were going to have to come up with a very good reason for him 'overlooking it'.

I found, that, once out of the safety of the 'palace', I could hear Gin's thoughts clearly, though I did not listen to them. I wanted to hear everything from his mouth, and he sat himself down on a rock in the middle of nowhere.

"We're going to need a good explanation," I murmured. "Especially if he's trying to stop me from leaving."

Gin sighed. "He doesn't want you leaving because he doesn't want you as his enemy. He can keep tabs on you in there... Out here, he can't." He fell silent and a faint breeze ruffled through both our clothes.

"He doesn't trust me."

"He's weary of you, he knows you're a lot smarter than what he thought." Translation, he'd underestimated me.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "This doesn't quite work in accordance to my plans."

He seemed amused as he spoke. "Na, so you did have something planned! I didn't miss the glare you gave him when he all but stopped you from embarrassing Grimmjow and Nnoitra. Do I get to hear it?"

"Unfortunately no."

"I'm hurt, you don't trust me." His chuckle showed he was only playing and he shifted anxiously. He didn't like the fact I already knew everything, yet he knew nothing of me, or my own plans. He didn't fully trust me either.

"No, it's not that... It's just, my plans are foiled now," I sighed softly. "The aim was for him to trust me, at least enough to let me into his head."

"He's using his... toy, to stop you," he mused.

"Indeed."

I felt like a criminal. Low voices in a brisk pace, we were risking being caught and then everything either of us had worked for would... Him more so than I. He'd worked hard, but even he knew Aizen did not fully trust him. What was the saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

But it seemed Aizen had no trust in me at all; he didn't want me knowing his next moves so he did everything to prevent me from being able to learn of them. It almost made me feel ill, to have built up my plan and now have it be worthless...

With Inoue Orihime's capture, there was not enough time to work on gaining his trust. I had hoped for weeks, maybe months; not mere hours, minutes or perhaps seconds. Time was not on my side, I was going to have to come up with another plan.

"I don't suppose we'll need too much of a good explanation for why we had to come out here," he sighed. "Though, if he asks we could always say you wanted to know what happened to Neliel."

My rough feelings of hate and distrust melted away at the thought of the former third Espada. How long had it been since I'd seen her? Months perhaps, and I missed her dearly.

It was true, out here I could feel her Reishi, but it was different. I wanted so badly to go and greet here, but there had to be a reason she hadn't returned. I would wait for her, of course but...

The thought of Nnoitra and Szyael... I growled softly, clenching my fists. I hoped that whatever end happened to them both, it would be slow and painful. As for Grimmjow... well, he looked far too happy with himself since Inoue had healed him up. I hoped someone ruined that too.

I hoped, somehow, Ulquiorra would come out okay. He and I would likely end up to be enemies, and I didn't like the thought of that. He was strong, and I had no doubt he'd be able to kill me- nor did I have much doubt that he would. But I liked him, he was soothing to be around and I found solitude in the silence of his company.

"What do you plan on doing?"

Gin needn't explain his own plan- I had seen it, a million times over now. He was sure of what he was going to do, and he was fine tuning it- figuring out every possible move, and every other counter move. The one key fact he had was how to get past Kyoukasuigetsu. By touching the blade before it was released, you became immune to it. Perhaps that was also an advantage for me, I had no idea if I was affected by it and it never hurt to be safe.

"I'm not sure... I could go onto the side of the Shinigami, they still seem to trust me but..." I sighed softly, shaking my head. We probably didn't have much time left, and whatever I could come up with would be sloppy at best. "I'm sure he could just kill me, why hasn't he?"

Gin was troubled by this too- and in fact, he'd banked on Aizen killing me almost as soon as I arrived. The fact he'd 'given' me power and let me survive for so long, living quite freely (more free than Inoue at least), was unsettling to him. He put it down to Aizen enjoying the 'risk', though knowing ultimately I wouldn't be able to touch him.

"Perhaps he's arrogant, he thinks as long as you can't hear him..."

"He has to know there's going to be some way around that," I frowned lightly. It didn't seem like there would be any time soon, but... "If that... thing picks a new master and doesn't... 'obey' him. Surely he knows that's a possibility?"

Gin remained silent, but his thoughts gave the answers I was looking for. I felt troubled at this and Gin barely believed it himself; but he wasn't sure what else to think.

I tried desperately to wrack some sort of plan together. Gaining Aizen's trust was out of the question, but aiding the Shinigami was too. It would all depend on if I returned back now or not.

Silently, Gin stood up and stared in the other direction from the palace. I had felt it too- the new reiatsu. I wasn't fully familiar with it, but he was. It was hard to make a decision under the pressure- I had to make one now, and it was going to change everything.

Gin took a few steps off back to Las Noches, and turned to face me. He hadn't yet noticed the other two bits of Reishi in the air but...

I almost felt the air rush out of me, and I wasn't quite sure why. It was stupid to think about- was it happiness? Worry too I supposed. It was hard to explain, and I felt under even more pressure to decide right.

"Go ahead without me, I'll follow you after I do something."

Gin left instantly, his thoughts resting on a certain blonde shinigami. Rangiku was lucky to have someone who cared so much about her.

I was absolutely positive of one of the reiatsu's I was heading towards. I focused on that one mostly- I had no real idea who the other was, but I had a sneaking suspicion. It was hard to explain the feelings that came over to me- I supposed I was nervous, would they attack me? I hoped not. Would they hear me out? Probably not.

Warmth was another one of the feelings, and I didn't understand that one. I had no idea why I would feel that, and was it even really a feeling? It sat deep within my chest, and made it hard to breathe whether I took a breath. I had to stop a few times from becoming dizzy from the feeling. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable though.

Even if I had wanted to go back, I supposed I was not able to now. I felt drawn to this person; and it wasn't long before I found myself staring at their backs.

They barely noticed me, both too busy arguing over which direction to take. I felt envy, jealousy. I wanted to separate them, do something to stop them being together, something to cut that relationship in half but... I didn't have it in me. It would hurt him too much if I hurt her, and so it did not feel as good as it should have done.

"Kurosaki Ichigo isn't going to go missing... for the record, Rukia is right, he's that way."

Both jumped at the sound of my voice, and they turned slowly. Rukia rested her hand on the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki, but Renji remained quite impassive.

"Where is Inoue Orihime?"

I felt almost like I should tell Rukia everything- where she was, how to get to her...

"I can't tell you that."

She growled, obviously quite frustrated. She wanted her friend back more than anything, she didn't believe Orihime was guilty of leaving of her own free will...

"We tricked her into coming with us so.. you are correct that she didn't quite leave on her own accord, Inoue is easy to fool." I made sure to make it clear to them that I was still their enemy by using the plural 'we', but they were both quite confused. I'd given them information; what was my motive?

What indeed.

Renji stepped forward, and the warm feeling brought it's self up. There was no way pure physical attraction could affect someone quite so much.

"How come you're even here?"

I felt it was pointless to give him anything but the truth. Perhaps if I made them aware of my own situation, they would not interfere.

"I have my own plans."

He became interested, and Rukia relaxed her stance.

"I'm not going to explain them to you, they're mine, and I intend on staying alone." How funny to hear me say that. Even if I'd been shy and refused Rangikus attention before, it had made me happy to be noticed by someone... To be wanted by someone and to have some friends. The fact I could openly, and actually mean it, admit that I wanted to go in this completely, and entirely alone...

I felt sick.

"I just don't want you to get in my way." I sighed, staring intently at the red head.

He was busy trying to figure it out- and he was quite troubled by the changes I'd made. He felt pretty angry too- that whatever happened to me here had caused me to become like this... His fingers twitched as he reached for Zabimaru, but he folded his arms over his chest last moment.

"So why can't you tell us where Inoue is?"

"Because that would entail you getting in my way," I smirked softly, chuckling. "Look, there's no way you're getting into Las Noches that easily, it's hard enough to get out, let alone get in." I sighed softly. "I don't have much time, but I have a favour to ask."

"Why should we do anything for you, if you wont' tell us where Inoue is?"

I almost gave into the desperation of Rukia's voice. She'd never had many friends and she cared about Orihime quite deeply.

Renji again stepped forward. "What is it?"

I was surprised to find that he trusted me completely. There was no doubt in his mind that my words had been true. Why would he trust me? There seemed to be no logical reason for it, and the warmth in my chest almost purred.

"If you find someone called 'Nel', please look after her... She'll mean you no harm, but she's important to me," I smiled fondly at the thought of her. "She's out here somewhere, but I can't find her myself."

I'd probably spent too much time out, and I would need to be getting back before Aizen came out looking for me himself. I cared little for what he'd do to me, but...

I shuddered, and turned before they could reply. "I'll send Inoue Orihime your regards," I added, leaving before I could second guess myself.

I did, want so desperately, to stay with them, help them and protect them. But my own plans were more than getting a friend back- though they were going to have to do a lot to get her back, that was true... Their paths might even cross my own, especially if those three got involved.

And what of Ulquiorra? If he fought them, if I was on their side... Would I aid him? Would I aid them? I doubted I could sit by while either one of them got hurt.

The shinigami had done nothing to wrong me, and I found myself wishing I had trusted them from the beginning. I wouldn't be in this mess if I had stayed with them.

I made it back to Las Noches quickly and Gin greeted me at the door. Aizen wasn't angry- in fact he'd almost forgotten about it, he was more concerned with the 'guests'. It would mean the next stage of his plan would be able to begin soon.

I envied that man too- he had everything set, and it all went how he'd wanted it to. He knew the outcome he wanted, and I had no doubt he would end up getting it- though, no one else really knew his true motives. Gin questioned what Aizen had told him, so neither of us could be sure what he wanted.

For the first time since I'd resolved to getting my revenge, I wasn't sure if I would succeed, of if I would even come out alive. I could not see my next move, and I wasn't entirely sure what was supposed to happen next.

Sighing, I set off to the room in which Inoue stayed; the least I could do was pass on Rukia's message, like I had told her I would. All I could do now was wait and hope for the best.