I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

Chapter 21

Ulquiorra stood quietly at her apartment door as Orihime rushed about gathering her things for school.

"You should work harder at moving more quickly in the morning. If we do not leave soon we will be late for school." He said.

"I know, I know." She replied as she hopped on one foot trying to secure her shoe on the other. "I try to get up on time, but once I hit the snooze button, it's hard for me to catch up."

She almost stumbled into him, but caught herself at the last minute.

"Alright, I'm ready to go!" she said as she grabbed her book bag.

She followed him out the door and turned to lock it.

"You know I can't wait to see everybody again. Having a break is nice, but I miss my friends." She said as they made their way down the stairs.

He remained silent at her comment and when they reached the sidewalk she couldn't help but ask, "You're excited too aren't you; at least just a little bit?"

"I suppose it will be good to see all of your friends again." He answered.

Linking her free arm through his she reached for his hand and said, "They're your friends too."

He gave her a sideways glance at her remark and then returned his gaze forward.

She refused to let the conversation drop so she persisted, "Honestly Ulquiorra, you even said so yesterday that you wanted to be their friends."

"I said that I wished to remain with you and your friends."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed.

He turned and looked at her questioningly.

"Wanting to be with me and my friends is the same as wanting them to be your friend."

He once again turned his gaze forward.

Frustrated by his lack of response she said, "I don't know why you are being so stubborn. Are you afraid that they'll reject you?"

His hand tightened slightly around hers and then his grip lessened again. She wasn't even sure if he realized his reaction, but she felt it.

In a gentle voice she asked, "You are worried aren't you?"

"I do not worry woman." He replied rather brusquely.

Woman; he had not used that term in over a week. She understood what it meant. She had struck a nerve. Still she did not want to push him any further.

Squeezing his hand affectionately she simply said, "Everything will be fine. After all you've already been accepted. When we get to school, you'll see for yourself."

With that she let the conversation drop. They walked the remainder of the way in silence. When they entered the schoolyard she couldn't help but notice that people were staring at them as they passed by. She dismissed it at first, but after a few minutes she began to get anxious.

"People are looking at us funny." She whispered.

"I am guessing that they are surprised to see your hand in mine in such a familiar manner." He replied.

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped. "I forgot about that."

Reflexively she began to let go of his hand, but he only tightened his grip.

"Does it bother you to be seen like this with me?" he asked.

"No, no. Not at all. I just… I guess I didn't realize…"

She quickly shut her mouth as she realized she was only making things worse. Instead she returned his grip with squeeze of her own.

In a soft whisper she said, "I've never had a boyfriend before."

She instantly blushed red from head to toe at her own admission.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "You have plenty of friends that are boys."

"Yes, but… it's just a term…"

"I understand, but it is an inadequate term." He replied.

She felt a heat rush through her at his answer. His voice held the suggestion of something much deeper. He stared for a moment longer at her, then turned and continued to walk towards the building, his hand still holding hers tightly.

They made it as far as her locker when Tatsuki found them. She was trading out her shoes, and was thankful that her friend had not found them a moment sooner.

"Orihime," she began. Her voice was clipped and she knew her friend was fighting to control her emotions. "I would like to speak to you," she glared at Ulquiorra, "alone."

She looked at Ulquiorra. In his usual unemotional tone he said, "I will see you in the classroom."

She smiled as he left, but her smile fell as soon as she turned back to her friend.

"We've been friends for quite some time." Tatsuki began.

"You're my best friend." Orihime interrupted.

"Yeah, we are best friends." Tatsuki replied. The anger in her voice was more apparent. They stared at each other in silence. She began to feel uncomfortable when Tatsuki continued, "Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Ulquiorra? You've known about him…"

"Not that Orihime. Fuck, as if that isn't bad enough! No I am talking about the two of you"

She couldn't help but flinch at Tatsuki's words.

"I heard from the gossips on my way into school this morning. I'm your best friend and yet I had to hear second hand about you and him!"

"Tatsuki, I'm sorry," she said softly. "It just happened so fast and we were having so much fun and I didn't think to say anything and I know how you feel about him…"

"You should have told me."

She bowed her head and felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"I should have, but I didn't want anything to ruin it."

Tatsuki grew very still. Orihime looked back up and was surprised to see her friend shaken at her statement.

"You think I would try to ruin your happiness?" she asked apparently stunned by Orihime's confession.

"I know that you don't like him."

"With good reason."

"Tatsuki, he's not the same person. I know you don't believe me, but if you just gave him a chance…"

"I don't see why I should have to do that?" she said rather petulantly.

"Because you're my best friend." Orihime replied firmly.

Tatsuki stared at her for a moment and then asked, "Is that an order?"

Orihime couldn't help but smile, "You betcha!"

A slight smile crept onto Tatsuki's face. "When did you become so determined?"

"I always have been. It's just that I was afraid to stand up for myself. I didn't want to make people unhappy. Everyone has been so good to me. It wouldn't be right to refuse to do as they asked."

"Is that how you really see things? Did I make you feel that you couldn't truly express your feelings?" she asked in disbelief.

"No Tatsuki, that's not quite what I meant. I just didn't want to upset you." She responded.

"And now you don't care?"

"I still do care, but I also care about Ulquiorra and his happiness. I want you to give him a chance."

"This isn't like you at all Orihime."

"No," she smiled, "I guess it's time for a change."

"Because of him" Tatsuki replied.

She smiled and said, "Because of me."

This brought a smile to Tatsuki's face. That was all the encouragement Orihime needed. She lunged forward and grabbed her friend in a fierce hug.

"I love you Tatsuki! And you just wait and see you'll find out that he's really not so bad once you get to know him, and he wants to be friends with everyone so that's a positive step. I mean I know that he can be prickly and all, but so can Ichigo and Uryu…"

"Orihime it's okay, I get it. You can let go."

She stepped back anxiously, but smiled when she realized that Tatsuki was only teasing her.

"This doesn't mean that he's getting a free ride. You are really too forgiving a person. Someone's got to watch out for you." Tatsuki said.

"Sometimes forgiveness is all people need in order to change." She replied.

"Unbelievable!" Tatsuki whispered.

She smiled and said, "Maybe we should get going."

"Yeah I guess so, but I'm warning you, if you two become one of those sick couples that hang all over each other and talk nonsensical love babble, I will have to hurt you."

The idea of Ulquiorra being all sappy and overly romantic made her laugh hysterically.

"You find that funny?"

"Extremely," she replied grabbing her sides.

Suddenly Tatsuki began to laugh as well. "Yeah, I guess it would be a little out of character for him."

"Just a little," she cried. She tried to calm herself but it was impossible. She rode the wave of her laughter until she was completely spent. She only hoped that when she saw him again in class that she wouldn't lose it again.

Orihime entered the classroom just as the bell rang. She quickly made her way to her desk barely sparing him a glance. Ulquiorra couldn't help but wonder if Arisawa had said something to change her mind about him. As he sat staring at her she turned and smiled. Then she quickly faced forward. He could tell that she was trying hard to keep from laughing. He continued to stare at her, but she refused to look his way anymore.

He dared not even begin to imagine what strange scenario was playing out in her mind. At least she was in good spirits. It would seem that regardless of what Tatsuki had wanted to discuss with her, Orihime was not bothered.

Finally giving up on regaining her attention he turned his gaze back to the front of the room and the lesson that had started. He tried to focus his attention on the material being presented, but he found that he couldn't concentrate. His mind drifted back to the previous afternoon. They had ended up together on his futon. Orihime had snuggled close to his side, his one arm wrapped securely around her, while the other held the book that he had been reading before she had arrived. As she rested her head against his chest he read to her softly until after a while he noticed her breathing even out. Glancing down he found that she had drifted off to sleep while he had been reading.

He laid the book down and brought his other arm around to embrace her. This newfound intimacy with her was something he could not remember sharing with anyone else. In Hueco Mundo the female Arrancars were just as aggressive as the males, and more likely to harm you if angered. Besides he had had no desire to form a bond with another, until now. Orihime sparked something within him that went far beyond the adolescent stirrings that his body was now prone to. She spoke to that part of him the craved affection and comfort; especially now as all of his memories were returning in such a painful way.

Shinji's words from the other night came back to him.

You know I don't see the attraction. Orihime is so full of life and sunshine and you my friend are as dark and depressing as they come.

He supposed that to her friends and acquaintances it would appear that way, but he knew now that there had been a time in his life when he had been just as full of nonsensical dreams as she. Though, she was admittedly older to still act in such a way, her manner appealed to that carefree part of him that had been snuffed out by his grandmother's demands.

Glancing back to where she sat he silently observed her as she listened to the teacher. She had a dreamy smile on her face that left him once again wondering where her thoughts were leading her. Without realizing it he began to smile slightly in return.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo suddenly whispered to him.

"There is nothing wrong with me." He whispered back.

"Is something going on with you and Orihime, because you both are acting stranger than usual." He replied.

"Get your head out of your ass Ichigo." Arisawa interrupted. "They're dating. It's all over school."

"That's a load of crap." Kurosaki said. He then looked at Orihime and back at Ulquiorra. "She is full of crap isn't she?"

He found it hard to contain the smile that formed at Ichigo's obvious discomfort.

"Arisawa is telling the truth." He replied.

Ichigo suddenly turned green. His hand flew to his mouth and he stood rather abruptly.

"Is something the matter Ichigo?" the teacher asked.

"I think he's going to vomit." Ulquiorra said calmly.

"Oh go then, quickly." She replied.

Ichigo bolted from the room. Arisawa let out a slight laugh and said, "That almost makes all this worth it."

Orihime looked with surprise at her friend and then at him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Sometimes the truth is hard to stomach I guess." He replied.

Yet he found Ichigo's reaction was one of the sweetest things he had tasted in a long time.

He left the school yard alone that afternoon. Orihime had one of her clubs after school and then planned to eat with Tatsuki and her family that evening. He hadn't gone far when he felt a familiar presence come from behind.

Without turning around he said, "Hey Uryu, I haven't seen much of you today."

The teen caught up with him and replied, "You seemed a little preoccupied with Inoue. I didn't want to intrude."

He remained quiet at Ishida's remark. The news that he and Orihime were suddenly and 'item' had spread around the school like a wild fire. Chizuru had spent the afternoon lamenting the fact that her 'Hime' was being wasted on such a gloomy guy, and Asano whined the entire way to his locker after classes about how unfair it was that he could just walk in and take the cutest girl in the school. He had ignored them both, but he found that he was curious as to what Uryu would say about it.

Without waiting for his reply Ishida continued, "So did you really expect to keep something this monumental a secret for long."

"I admit that I did not expect it to spread quite so fast, but I suppose that is the way it is with human teenagers." He replied.

"Other people are aware?" Uryu said sounding surprised.

"Apparently Tatsuki approached Inoue this morning, and Chizuru and Asano have been harassing me all day."

"Chizuru and Asano know?"

"Well many people do. It was not something I was intentionally hiding. Personally I do not understand this fascination people have with each other's personal lives. It makes it difficult to remain inconspicuous."

"I can't believe that you don't care about people finding out. This is very serious. I don't think I have to remind you that it affects Inoue just as much as you."

"Orihime and I have discussed this and it was her decision in the end to be open with everyone. Admittedly I can see where you may find this unpleasant. After all you know about our past relationship. Considering it was I that brought her to Hueco Mundo it would seem that I would be that last person she would want to become intimately connected with…"

Uryu stopped dead in his tracks. His face had drained of all color, and in a deadly quiet voice he whispered, "What they hell are you talking about?"

He stopped as well and turning to the Quincy said, "The fact that Orihime and I have formed an attachment to each other."

Ishida's face went from white to red almost instantly.

"You think that I would trouble you about something as insignificant as your relationship with Orihime? Do I come across as that shallow and immature?"

He stared at Uryu for a moment. He searched his mind as he tried to figure out what the teen was talking about, but the only thing he could come up with was the one thing he refused to discuss with anyone.

"You know I would expect this kind of inane, oblivious conversation to take place with Ichigo." Uryu said in a cold, detached voice. "I didn't think I would have to spell things out for you, but if you insist on acting so ignorant than I will get to the point using words that even a simpleton could understand."

Uryu paused and stared intensely at him. "How long did you think you could continue this charade that you are human?"

His insides went cold at Ishida's words, and he was sure that the shock at the Quincy's words was evident on his face. Still he tried to react in his usual calm and unaffected manner.

"I do not know what you are talking about. I am just as human now as the rest of you."

Uryu reacted quickly. Grabbing him by his coat he slammed him hard against the building that they were standing next to. He brought his face close to his and said in a harsh, but quiet voice, "Cut the bullshit Ulquiorra. I'm not some imbecile. I am very well aware of what is going on with you. Your spirit energy has always been higher than usual, but lately it has gotten stronger and darker."

He only stared back in silence. Uryu was the only person besides Orihime that he had had a true desire to befriend, but he understood that the Quincy would just as soon kill him then let him harm Orihime and the others.

"Say something!" Uryu began. "Lie to me. Tell me that I'm full of crap."

He only continued to stare.

Uryu tightened his fists in Ulquiorra's coat, and pushing his back harder against the wall said, "So this is how you want to play. Fine, I'll do all the talking then. You see I've sensed that dark side to your spiritual energy for some time now, but I dismissed it. After all Ichigo is much the same way. But the other night everything changed. That darkness exploded, and even if only for a few minutes, it was almost as heavy and oppressive as that time atop Las Noches."

Once again his mask of calm indifference slipped.

"Of course I am admittedly more attuned to these things than others, but even someone with minimal spiritual awareness could have felt that. Maybe they dismissed it as a bad dream or irrational fear, but I know differently. And I'm not the only one. Spiritual energy that powerful was most likely detected by the Soul Society. So you can walk around acting like everything is okay, but I know better. Your life is at risk, and your life goes hand in hand with Inoue's."

Grabbing Ishida's hands he forced him to release his coat and shoved him away. With a hint of anger in his voice he said, "I can handle this."

"Like Ichigo handled his inner hollow?"

"I have a little more self control than Kurosaki."

"Maybe so, but your true nature is much more bloodthirsty."

He couldn't help but stiffen at Uryu's remark. Somewhere deep inside he felt a genuine sense of hurt at the Quincy's words.

"I am human now." He said softly.

It was Uryu's turn to look surprised.

"Is that what you honestly believe or what you want to believe?" he asked.

"It is the truth."

Ishida stared at him for a moment and then said, "You know for a guy who prides himself on his honesty, you sure do a good job of lying to yourself."

"It is not a lie." He said in a whisper.

"Maybe on the outside you're human, but your soul that resides within that human body is still hollow."

"You do not know what you are talking about." He said, his voice rising with anger and desperation. "I am human. I have memories, feelings…"

"That is because you have been completely unmasked."

"It is because I am human!" he yelled finally losing his self control.

Uryu stared at him for a moment and then said, "Even if some part of your soul has regained its humanity, do you really believe that you are strong enough to control the part that is still hollow."

"If Kurosaki could manage it…"

"Ichigo couldn't handle it!" Uryu yelled in return. "Or have you forgotten what happened in Hueco Mundo?"

"I have not forgotten." He replied.

"I don't know. It seems to me that you have. Ichigo became a monster, no different than any other hollow. He lost that part of him that was human."

"Kurosaki lacks control…"

"Bullshit! You know that's not the reason. He did it to defend Orihime. He was willing to tap into the deepest part of his soul, the part where his humanity was no longer in control, to protect her. Are you going to tell me that you don't run a similar risk? It would seem to me that you are even more closely linked to Inoue."

He moved to within inches of Ishida.

"I would die before I would let myself fall into that torment again."

"Don't worry about that one. I'll kill you long before you have a chance."

He backed away and looked at Uryu. The hurt from before began to nag at him again.

"It would seem that I have misjudged our relationship."

"I witnessed my friend lose his humanity in Hueco Mundo. I watched as he not only destroyed your body, but intended to mutilate what remained. Ichigo has never killed like that. He would rather leave an opponent defeated. But at that moment he didn't care. He was at the mercy of his hollow. If he hadn't attacked me like he had, if you hadn't stopped him when you did, I would have had no choice but to kill him."

He grew silent for a moment and then said, "Facing that decision, to kill my friend, is something that I never want to go through again, but if you don't do something about this I may have to."

He was stunned at Uryu's confession. Inside a small flicker of hope ignited. Still he didn't want to involve anyone else. He was always in control of himself. He would handle this as well.

"I can control this." He whispered.

"No you can't; stop being so stubborn." Ishida began. "Ask Ichigo. Someone helped him, maybe they can help you."

He thought about Shinji's offer the other night.

"I can do this alone."

"You don't have to. This isn't like Hueco Mundo. Relying on others isn't a sign of weakness. No one is going to destroy you if you seek help."

He remained silent.

"Ulquiorra let your friends help you."

"Friends?"

Ishida smiled slightly.

"Don't think I'm getting sentimental." He said. "Just get help."

"I will consider what you have said."

"Consider it quickly. Now that you and Orihime are an 'item' the stakes are even higher."

"I thought talk of relationships was too shallow and immature for you." He responded.

"I find it rather juvenile, but it does change things."

That was the one truth Ulquiorra couldn't hide from. Orihime relied on him now. He couldn't help but desire to protect her. Yet the idea of seeking help from Ichigo and the Vizards was still as distasteful as when Shinji first proposed it. Somehow he would handle this. He had keep control so far. There was no reason to believe that he couldn't continue to maintain that control indefinitely.

A.N. Originally I was going to bring Rukia into the story at this point, but I found that her appearance served no real purpose anymore since previous changes kind of eliminated the direction she would have taken the story. In the end I prefered the talk with Uryu at the end. It flowed better and connected elements better.

With that said, I am once again at a place where I cannot promise the speed of my writing. My crappy week from two months ago has exploded into a situation where I am being slandered in a very public way and could lose my job. So now I have some time on my hands, but am so bothered that I can't think of much else. Writing does bring me much stress relief, but I am having to pull the story along at this point. As for the story - it is at the point where all the action starts and things come together. My hope is that the momentum will carry me along despite my personal troubles.

So enough whining and gloom - Thank you to all who reviewed. I apologize for not getting back to people, but I have been distracted. None the less special thanks to Crimson Masquerade and Lady Kaliska for their many reviews and insights as they read through the story. Also Pardon the Insanity hope you're still reading and all is well. I miss your reviews.

Thanks again for reading - please let me know how you like it!