Disclaimer: Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite. I would like to own a real functioning piece of Soul Candy…along with a life-size Ulquiorra doll. (…currently imagining the horror of having a Chappisized Ulquiorra bouncing around my room and saying things like "Eat your food…pyon!" … LOL!)

Chapter Twelve

Orihime sat on the white couch with downcast eyes, her fingers fidgeting tensely.

Ulquiorra stood facing her on the other side of the room with his back leaning against the wall, observing her movements.

Grimmjow sat at the table with his chin in hand, his eyes lazily trailing between the other two occupants of the room, unsure as to how much longer he could take the heavy silence that was currently dominating over them. Just as he was about to crack, Ulquiorra spoke.

"We will find another way."

Orihime felt downhearted. "But…"

"We will find another way," Ulquiorra repeated, his tone bargaining no argument.

She sighed as Urahara's words repeated themselves in her mind:

"It is possible for you to reject the hougyoku's existence. That is your power, after all. However, the more powerful something is, the more spiritual energy you must exert in order to reject it. And the hougyoku is an object of immeasurable power. If you should expend all of your spiritual energy in the process…you will not survive. Remember. The reason why I attempted to hide it in the first place was because I could not find a way to destroy it myself…"

"It's still worth a try," she said, though not sounding the most confident. "If I can just do this, then everything will be over! And…I can always stop half way if I find it's too much—"

"Anything that puts you at risk goes against everything I am trying to do," Ulquiorra interjected. "I believe your nakama and I are in agreement on this."

The rest of the 'message' came back to Orihime's mind. Through Ulquiorra's eyes, she was able to watch as Ichigo approached, fisting both of his hands into the fourth Espada's clothes:

"Oi, Ulquiorra, don't let Inoue do anything crazy! Just tell her to wait. We'll definitely get her out of there!"

Although Orihime was able to hear the entire message, she lost the visual half way through that speech. She chuckled silently to herself as she imagined Ulquiorra must have closed his eyes at the time in attempt to block out Ichigo's in-your-face tactic.

Then Grimmjow spoke up, sounding rather annoyed. "Can't we just steal the damn thing, get the hell outta here, dump it on that Urahara guy, and let them deal with it?"

"Locating the hougyoku is another problem," Ulquiorra said.

The sexta Espada raised a brow. "Doesn't Aizen just keep it in that pole-looking contraption that comes up out of the floor next to his almighty throne?"

"Do you think Aizen-sama would be so careless to keep something that important where everyone knows where it is?" Ulquiorra asked apathetically. "That one is a decoy."

Grimmjow frowned. "How the hell do you know?"

Ulquiorra heaved an internal sigh. "I was the one who proposed the idea. It is an easy way to weed out those who could not be trusted."

"Oh, right. I almost forgot," Grimmjow said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Aizen's number one loyal dog." Then he couldn't help but grin. "Can't wait to see the look on that bastard's face when he finds out."

"So, that puts us back at square one," Orihime said with a heavy sigh. "I can't wait to get out of here. I can go to school again…see my friends…eat real food…"

The blue-haired Espada gave an involuntary twitch.

She continued, oblivious. "…sleep in my own bed…wear my own clothes… I can show you guys around town, go to my favorite cake shop, and we can do all sorts of fun things!"

Her smile faltered when she caught the boys sharing a silent glance. Looking from Grimmjow to Ulquiorra, she asked with slight apprehension, "You're coming with me…right?"

Ulquiorra held her eyes but said nothing.

Orihime stared back, the sinking feeling growing ever stronger within her heart.

Grimmjow observed the two in their staring contest with a bored look on his face, holding up his chin with one hand as he tapped his fingers on the table with the other. While Ulquiorra appeared to be having a sad, conflicting, longing sort of look, Orihime seemed to be expressing the worried, distressed, longing kind of look. Either way, Grimmjow was positive the longing bit was in there somewhere.

Orihime stood up and took a step forward. "Ulquiorra…"

At that moment, Grimmjow slammed his hands on the table and bolted up from his chair. "STOP!"

That sudden commotion caused the other two to turn their heads and give him their full attention.

"I thought I'd specifically said that I didn't want to see any of this crap," Grimmjow said with a scowl.

"I wasn't doing anything," Ulquiorra replied, unperturbed and matter of fact.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes at both of them. "But you were about to. I know that look."

Orihime's hands flew to her cheeks to cover her blush. "Look? What look?"

"It's the look that says…I better get the hell outta here if I don't wanna throw up."

Ulquiorra looked away. "Ridiculous."

"Yeah, whatever," Grimmjow said as he headed for the door. "Just…" He waved a casual hand in the air as he tried to find the words. "…come get me when you're ready to talk mutiny."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Orihime walked the rest of the way to Ulquiorra and picked up his hand, holding it in both of hers with a look of worry on her features. "Ulquiorra…"

"I do not belong in the living word," he said plainly. "Neither does Grimmjow. Soul Society will not overlook it."

Orihime lowered her head, still holding onto his hand like her life depended on it. She wasn't so naïve to not see the life and death, human and hollow barrier between them. Nonetheless, now that she had finally found someone who truly cherished her, how could she simply let go? The three of them had come back together after being separated for so long. Wasn't that fate? Didn't that mean they were meant to be together?

She looked up at him with a huge smile plastered on her face. "You know, Urahara-san is a genius! I'm sure he'd be able to help us. Maybe make you a gigai or something. And…did you know that Kuchiki-san lives in Kurosaki-kun's closet when she's in the living world? But you won't have to live in my closet or anything, though. I don't think Grimm-chan will even fit. But I'm sure we'll think of something. And…"

Ulquiorra watched as she continued. She was rambling. And though she smiled, her hands were trembling.

He took hold of one of her hands and tugged her closer, holding her hand to his chest.

She immediately fell silent, surprised at his action.

With his other hand, he picked up a lock of her vibrant hair, watching it slip between his fingers as he spoke. "For me, it is clear now. Everything that did not make sense before…the need to protect you…be near you. I now understand why that is." He looked up at her. "And my feelings will not change."

Her face flushed as she averted her eyes shyly, training them on their joined hands instead.

"But you," he continued. "You have no memory of your past life. It should not be difficult for you to return to the living world, resume your life, and forget about us. You have no attachment here, so why do you insist on us remaining together?"

Orihime gave a soft and almost incredulous smile, as though in disbelief that he even asked the question. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked as she placed her free hand over his, the one that was still gently holding onto a lock of her hair. "I fell in love with you again."

Ulquiorra wasn't sure how to react to that statement, feeling both elated and troubled by it at the same time. He wanted to ask her why. He was the one who had abducted her after all.

However, before he had a chance to formulate his question, Orihime held up a finger with a slightly serious frown on her face. "Do you know what that means?" Then she broke into a wide grin. "It means I'm winning! I fell in love with you two lifetimes in a row! That means I get two points. But you haven't been reincarnated yet, so, technically, you're still living that same lifetime. So, you only get one point. I'm beating you!" She smiled brightly and laughed.

He contemplated as the nostalgic sound of her laughter washed over him. She was still the same pure, bright, and energetic Princess of Light. He had spent his life trying to protect her. She was the reason for which he lived. Yet, in the end, when it really mattered, he had been unable to save her…and he had been unable to save Genji. He was the only one who knew of her ability, her curse, to foresee death. She had entrusted him with that secret. Yet, he hadn't been able to realize what she was trying to do when she had sent the two of them away that day. He had failed her in every way. For all the skills and intelligence that he had been praised for, in the end, he had been…incompetent. He didn't deserve her.

"Ulquiorra? What's wrong?"

Her concerned voice shook him out of his reverie. "Hime…" he began, his voice quiet and uncharacteristically hesitant. "Can you ever forgive me?"

She frowned with confusion. "…for what?"

Shame made it impossible for him to explain himself. Pulling her into his arms, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Her frown deepened, definitely worried now. "Ulquiorra…" she tried again, but was only able to get another whispered apology in return. Feeling helpless, she did the only thing she could do and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

Back at Urahara Shouten, the shop owner's other visitor of the night was still there.

"Urahara-san, I need a favor," Ichigo began. "Can you help me find a way to get a message to Rukia?"

Urahara perked up. "Oh! You wrote a love letter, huh?"

Two seconds later, the exiled shinigami found himself trying to stop a nosebleed. "I gueth thath a no…"

Ichigo, still scowling with his fist held high, had to take a moment to sober up again. "I'm worried that Inoue might try to do something stupid, so I need to go get her before that happens. Which means I have to wrap up my training now." Subconsciously, he reached up to touch the metal collar around his neck.

Urahara, now serious as well, said, "And so, you would like to inform Kuchiki-san, is that correct?"

The boy nodded. He did make her that promise after all. Inoue was as much Rukia's nakama as she was his. He can't deny Rukia's right to contribute to the rescue effort, despite his own feelings and concerns. He'd just have to be strong enough to protect them both if the need should arise.

"Very well," Urahara said, breaking the boy from his thoughts. He then placed a hand by his mouth and projected his voice. "Yoruichi-san! May I trouble you to take a quick trip to Soul Society? Kurosaki-san here has a message for Kuchiki-san."

Moments later, a black cat entered the room, silently sliding in from the crack between the shoji screens that had been left ajar. "Ah, finally got around to writing that love letter, I see," she said, ever so casually.

Ichigo's face turned bright red as he screamed. "IT'S NOT A LOVE LETTER, DAMN IT!!"

Ulquiorra stepped out of Orihime's room only to find Grimmjow sitting on the floor in the hall, looking bored, and apparently waiting for him.

The sexta Espada arched his brows. "That was…" he turned his head to the side, "…fast. I figured it'd take longer to—" He paused as an image of himself being struck by a rather large rock flashed through his mind. Turning back to Ulquiorra, instead of a rock, he saw an I-dare-you-to-finish-that-thought glare in the fourth Espada's eyes.

"And yet, here you are," Ulquiorra said in his typical impassive fashion. "Aren't you the fool for waiting here if you thought it would take long?"

Grimmjow gave a careless shrug, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Not like there's anything else to do in this place. Figured if I sat here, maybe I'd at least be able to hear something interest—Ow!!" He got the rock that time…in fact, it was a shower of rocks.

"Stop spouting nonsense."

Grimmjow grinned as he rubbed his forehead, deciding that a change of subject would be better for his health. "Akari's still pretty much the same, isn't she? She asks me a bunch of random crap like 'do you feel a draft through your hollow hole?' and what not, but other than that, she hasn't changed at all."

"You are forgetting she used to ask you every summer if your ice blue eyes would melt from the heat," Ulquiorra reminded.

"Oh yeah," Grimmjow said dryly. "If nothing else's changed…then I wonder if her food's still as inedible as ever."

"I can stand to not find out," Ulquiorra said, answering almost before Grimmjow had finished speaking.

To that, the blue-haired Espada only chuckled. It would seem that they'd both been scarred for life and afterlife as far as that was concerned.

A slight smirk graced Ulquiorra's lips before he redirected the conversation in a more serious direction. "Grimmjow. I know what I must do. However, you do not—"

"You're kidding, right?" Grimmjow cut in, already knowing what he was going to say. "You really think I'll just sit out and let you have all the fun?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "Not really. I am merely pointing out that you have…other options." It was obvious that Grimmjow wanted to go against Aizen. Anyone who wasn't blind would have noticed his dislike for the ex-shinigami. Nonetheless, Ulquiorra didn't want Grimmjow to just blindly follow his path. The last time he did that, it had led him to his death. Ulquiorra simply could not shake the responsibility. If Grimmjow were to follow him this time, he would become a traitor. Not to mention, the likelihood of them coming out of this alive was rather low. The guilt was eating away at the melancholic Espada.

"Being Aizen's lackey for all eternity is a pretty crappy option if you ask me," Grimmjow scoffed.

"…"

"If there ever were a rule in Hueco Mundo, it would be 'it's every man for himself'," Grimmjow said, almost sneering. "I have no idea why the others are sticking around, but it sure as heck ain't because they're all devoted to Aizen. All this loyalty crap's just in your head, Ulquiorra." He deepened his scowl. "That prick ain't nothing like Hayashi-sama. He's not worth your time."

Ulquiorra didn't answer, but it was clear to Grimmjow that he was struggling, and it wasn't just the issue of Aizen that he was struggling with. "She asked if you're gonna leave with her," Grimmjow said. "What did you say?"

The fourth Espada looked away, maintaining his silence.

Grimmjow raked a hand through his hair as he heaved a sigh of frustration. Figures. "Since you're inherently depressing, I know what you're thinking. But I say to hell with Soul Society and all that crap. Just do what you want for once."

Ulquiorra blinked with mild wonderment at Grimmjow's words. Just yesterday, the two of them would refrain from speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary, because they didn't want to have anything to do with one another…Grimmjow's constant pestering for a fight aside. And now, all of a sudden, they almost didn't need to speak, because they knew each other so well.

Were they different people now? No. Just more complete now that they had their missing parts filled in. Ulquiorra wondered if that meant their hollow holes would disappear since they were essentially whole again, or if that was impossible because what was done could not be undone? He supposed that, in the end, it didn't really matter either way. It wouldn't change the fact that they were dead and Orihime was alive. And it wouldn't change the fact that he no longer felt he was worthy of being by her side. With downcast eyes, he finally spoke. "I have no right to simply do what I want."

For the first time ever, Ulquiorra got hit in the head with a rock.

"Damn it, that's why I say you're depressing," Grimmjow said with annoyance as he retrieved another one of the rocks Ulquiorra had previously thrown at him just in case the fourth Espada decided to say anything else aggravating. "Look, if you can't do what you want, then think of it as doing what she wants." Then he mumbled under his breath, "It's the same thing anyway…" Increasing his volume again, "You got no problems with that, right?"

Ulquiorra looked away with uncertainty, once again keeping his thoughts to himself.

Ichigo jumped down the stairs to the training room below the abandoned warehouse and strode purposefully over to Shinji. "Hirako, I'm out of time," he said seriously as he tugged on the collar around his neck. "This thing's coming off tonight."

Shinji hopped off the rock he had been perching on with a slightly annoyed sigh. "I figured you'd say something like that." Then he gave a small shrug. "Well, whatever. You've got your techniques down, and you can at least hold your hollow form for a relatively decent amount of time. So…I'll make you a deal." He folded his arms. "If you can pass this test, I'll let you go."

Taking those words as a signal, the other vizards jumped into position, forming a circle around Ichigo.

The boy's eyes darted left and right, scanning through every one of them as his body instinctively tensed up, ready for a fight. "What do I have to do?"

"Fight all eight of us at the same time," Shinji explained. "You don't have to win. You just have to prevent us from cutting you…evade our blades until our masks fall away. If any of us draws even a single drop of your blood, you fail. And if you fail, I'm going to make you start over from the beginning…on the Shitty Hiyori Walker."

"It's the Super Hiyori Walker, baldy! Get it right!" fumed the girl with short pigtails as she threw one of her sandals at Shinji's head.

Ichigo's eyes grew large. "What?! But all of you can hold your forms way longer than I can!"

"So, you better figure something out," Shinji said casually as he pulled a mask out of thin air and over his face. "Because we're not cutting you any slack."

The others followed Shinji's example, and all eight of them moved in on Ichigo in unison.

"Shit!" Calling forth his own hollow powers as quickly as possible, Ichigo took Zangetsu into his hands. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A/N: Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about "haired"! I'm surprised there are that many people who actually read the notes! Haha! Just to pass the info along, yes, "haired" is a word, but it should be used with a hyphen…which I've started to do in this chapter. (breathes a sigh of relief and steps on my dictionary… "Oxford dictionary my butt, you useless piece of junk!") Heh…

In the first scene of this chapter, Ulqui said to Hime, "You have no memory of your past life." That fact, unfortunately, will not change. The reason why Ulqui and Grimm were able to retrieve their memories is because they're simply dead versions of Ukita and Genji who had forgotten who they were when they lost their hearts and became hollows. They are essentially still the same people, same lifetime. However, when Orihime was reincarnated, her memories had been wiped and she started over as a clean slate, different lifetime. Reincarnation is basically the beginning of a new cycle, so she's not going to remember things from her past life. To those who may be waiting for that to happen…I'm really sorry. It's not happening. But I like to think the fact that they came back together and the feelings are still there despite her not being able to remember anything says something about the strength of their bond/relationship. Hmm…hope that made sense. Haha!

Thanks for reading! Reviews appreciated!