Tito Kubo owns Bleach, the characters and the copyright. I have respectfully borrowed them for this story. I do, however, own my own characters and ideas.

Grimmjow didn't usually dream. As far as he knew, none of the arrancar dreamt. It was a distinctly human thing to do. Something you had to be alive to do. And yet, he realized that he was indeed dreaming. He looked down at himself. He looked basically the same but his mask and the hole in his belly were both gone. His skin had taken on the warm-blooded heat of the living. Looking around, he realized he was still in Misaki's bedroom at Las Noches but the room had taken on a hazy, dreamy quality with soft pink light. A sweet, inviting scent floated on the air. Outside the window, darkness remained but the moon had righted itself. He walked towards the couch. His footsteps were silenced by thick carpeting. The girl was stretched out on the couch. She opened her eyes, looking up at him with a smile that gave him a strange chill of delight.

"Grimmjow?" she whispered. The sound of his name on her lips was intoxicating. He felt drawn to her. He kneeled down beside her. Misaki reached out, stroking his cheek tenderly.

"I'm safe with you now. I can feel it." she confessed. He grinned. That was about the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. No one was safe with him. And yet, it filled him with an unfamiliar warmth to think that it might be true. He wanted her to feel safe with him.

"Are you dreaming this?" he asked quietly, afraid to break the spell. She looked around as if seeing the room for the first time.

"No, this isn't right. This isn't where I want to be. I wanna go home..." she said in a low, sad tone that tore at his insides. At that moment, he would have done anything to take her home. Slowly, the background faded out to black then gradually reemerged as a different room. Grimmjow looked around. They were in what looked like a human home. Bright colors and dark, leafy green plants dominated the small room. Misaki was now stretched out on a bed with Grimmjow sitting beside her. Electric lights sat on the small tables on either side of the bed. Books covered the walls. Sheer curtains filtered out the pale sunlight. It was her home, he had no doubt. She sat up, taking his hand in hers. She smiled as she took in her surroundings.

"You brought me home." she said softly, turning his hand over in hers. She ran her fingers over his rough palm. Her touch was gentle and innocent but it stirred something deep inside him. He found himself imagining her light touch caressing his body. He wanted more. The air itself seemed charged with Misaki's presence. It called out to him.

"I want to feel your touch again." she whispered, closing her eyes as she raised his hand to her cheek. He cupped her cheek in his hand, pulling her forward. Grimmjow claimed her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. Misaki responded to him, her lips parting slightly to his searching tongue. With a low, hungry growl, he jerked her hard against him. He felt her tentatively touch her tongue to his as he assaulted her softly yielding mouth. He wanted her. The desire rose up like a fire inside him. Her skin felt so soft and warm. He moved his mouth hungrily to her neck, easing his mouth down as his hand inched up towards her breast. Her head rolled back as a low moan slipped from her lips.

"Kenpachi..." she sighed softly. Grimmjow's head shot up, staring at the woman in his arms. Who the hell was Kenpachi, he thought jealously. Misaki lifted her head, her eyes focusing on him sharply. She gasped and pulled away, staring at him as if she didn't recognize him. Then it all shattered. The dream fell apart, dragging him down into blackness.

Grimmjow's eyes blinked opened. He was in Las Noches, sleeping in her bed. He could hear the sound of her breathing, filling the silent room. He heard her turn restlessly then slip back into a steady pattern. It had been a dream, he realized. An incredibly vivid, bizarre dream. He played back the images in his mind. He could still feel the warmth of her body, the touch of her skin, the taste of her mouth. It had been so real. Even his body had responded, he thought, suddenly aware of his throbbing ache. What the fuck, he wondered, rolling over. If that was what dreams were like, no wonder humans slept so much. He stretched back out, willing sleep to come, hoping for another dream. Eventually he drifted out to a deep, dreamless sleep.

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Misaki listened for the slow, steady rhythm of Grimmjow's breathing. The dream was fresh in her mind. It had been incredibly real. Somehow, he had crossed over into her dream. Even now, she could feel a connection with the man. It frightened her. She didn't want to be connected to this place, to these people. She wanted to go home.

Slowly she stood, walking over to the window. She stared out at the barren landscape. White sand and stark, black trees were all that she could see. This was not a place for the living, she thought. She sat down on the window seat, her thoughts on home. She wondered if Urahara had discovered that she was missing yet. She worried that he might attempt to retrieve her. This place was huge and heavily guarded. The number of arrancar that Aizen had at his disposal was staggering. She didn't want Urahara or any of them dying in an attempt to rescue her. She knew that Ichigo and his friends were somewhere out there in the sand, moving towards her. They had no idea that she was here. Even if they made it to Las Noches and were able to fight their way inside, they wouldn't know to take her back. Even Orihime didn't know that she was here.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cold glass of the window. She had never felt so alone before. She was completely cut off from everyone she cared about. She couldn't even feel them anymore. As the loneliness settled over her, her thoughts were irresistibly drawn back to Zaraki. The yearning she felt for the man was nearly overwhelming. She missed him so much. She couldn't help but wonder if he knew where she was or even cared? Yoruichi had tried to reassure her but Misaki didn't really believe her. She had assured Misaki that he would return to her but he hadn't. The days had passed slowly by without any contact. It just didn't seem like he wanted her after all. Her feelings, so strong and still growing, weren't returned. Misaki knew she still hadn't completely accepted it. But she also knew in her heart that she had to eventually. He had come on a mission. He had gotten close to her to discover her abilities and whether she was a threat to the Soul Society. She was the one who had let her emotions run wild, not him. She needed to forget about the man. She was pretty sure he had already forgotten about her. No, she really didn't need to worry about him coming to her rescue, she thought with a sigh.

The image of Zaraki's towering figure swooping into Las Noches to rescue her filled her head and Misaki smiled softly. She could see him, grinning like a madman, and cutting down anyone and anything that dared to get in his way. It would be a sight to behold, she thought, turning away from the window. Though not one that she would likely see. Her gaze moved over to the large bed. Grimmjow's spiky blue hair was visible above the blankets. There was something between the two of them. She could feel it. A strange, growing bond. He had made his way into her dream and kissed her. And what a kiss it had been. It had felt different than Zaraki's. But it was just like Grimmjow; rough, hard and demanding. There had been no gentleness from him. His kiss had been full of desire. And she liked it. Misaki shook her head. She was attracted to the arrancar. Despite his violent nature and rough edges, there was something about him that appealed to her. But he wasn't human, she reminded herself as she looked away. More importantly, he wasn't Zaraki. With a sigh, Misaki walked back to the couch and stretched out. She was exhausted. Too much had happened. She had to rest to cope with it all. She just prayed she didn't dream anymore that night. She didn't need more of that added into the mess she was in.

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The sound of the door opening woke Grimmjow. He listened, without moving, as someone crept quietly into the room. He was hidden under the fluffy bed clothes Aizen had thoughtfully provided. Whoever it was, was trying hard to move silently. He considered the girl, still asleep on the couch. The intruder wouldn't be able to see her unless they circled around to the other side of the room. He felt a presence near the bed then a hand gripped his leg, moving lightly up his thigh.

"You go any higher and you're gonna lose that fucking hand." he warned the intruder coldly. In a flash, Grimmjow was out of the bed and had Ichimaru down with his face in the bedding, his arm twisted behind him.

"What's going on?" Misaki asked in a groggy voice as she sat up and looked around.

"Looks like your kitty's trying to bite me." Ichimaru chuckled softly. Grimmjow released him, glaring at him. He hated when the man referred to his release cat-like form.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Ichimaru cautiously. She stayed on the couch, leaving Grimmjow between the ex-shinigami and herself. He grinned at her, adjusting his white robes.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all settled in. This is a strange ole place. Might be hard for you to adjust to after the living world." he said in his sly tone. He glanced at Grimmjow as he walked past him to sit beside her on the couch.

"Your bodyguard seems to be working out well." he said sweetly, patting her leg. Grimmjow watched as Misaki crawled to the other end of the couch, drawing her knees protectively to her chest. It was obvious the ex-shinigami made her uncomfortable. Grimmjow didn't like the familiar way that Ichimaru reached out to touch her. He found himself feeling oddly protective of the idiot girl. Grimmjow leaned casually against the end of the couch where she sat.

"I'm sure that's why my...father...assigned him to me." she said, having trouble getting the word father out. Grimmjow reached down, toying with her long, soft hair. She glanced at him but said nothing.

"He knew how well you and I'd get along, sweetie." Grimmjow said with an evil grin. Ichimaru tilted his head to one side, considering the two of them. She made no move to stop him touching her hair. He knew that she didn't want to give anything away in front of the other man. He let his hand come to rest possessively on her shoulder.

"You should be careful of this one, my dear. He has dangerous claws." Ichimaru said in a light tone. Misaki glanced up at Grimmjow then back at the silver-haired man.

"Maybe, but unlike some, he doesn't hide his claws behind a smiling face." she said coldly. Grimmjow paused, surprised by the directness of her comment. Ichimaru's grin faded. He leaned forward, gazing at her openly for a moment, his usual squint gone.

"See..." he said happily, squinting again, "I knew I'd eventually see your father in you."

Misaki stiffened at his comment. Grimmjow squeezed her shoulder reassuringly then frowned. Why the hell had he done that, he wondered, pulling his hand back.

"I'm nothing like that man." Misaki said coldly.

"Time will tell," he replied quietly, standing. "I'd best be going. Please come by my quarters anytime if you have questions or need anything. I can take care of most everything." he said easily, peering down at her with his strange eyes. He left without saying goodbye. Grimmjow felt her relax the moment the door latched.

"What a creepy man." she whispered, leaning back against the arm of the couch close to him. He reached down, brushing a stray lock of hair from her eyes. Misaki's gaze flicked over to him as she asked,

"Why does he keep making cat references about you?"

"It's none of your business." he growled, letting his fingers linger on the soft skin of her cheek. The dream had sprung up anew in his mind. He longed to feel it all again. Her dark eyes flashed then she slapped his hand away.

"Stop touching me." she said quietly, standing. Grimmjow slid into the spot she had just vacated, catching her around the waist with his long arms. He pulled her back into his lap, locking her in place with his arms.

"I get to touch any damn part of you I want as long as you expect me to run interference between you and fucking Ichimaru. You don't like him very much, do you?" he growled into her ear as she struggled against him.

"My father told you to take care of me." she argued, squirming in his lap. He didn't really care if she stopped or not. It felt great to him.

"Your father. You're throwing that word around a lot all of a sudden." he said darkly. "I answer to your father but I also answer to that fox-face piece of shit that you're scared of."

"I'm not afraid of him." she spoke softly, suddenly still. He waited for a moment to see if it was a some kind of a ploy. When she made no effort to move, he shifted slightly so that he was sitting up higher against the arm of the couch. He pulled her back against his chest.

"You oughta be." he said quietly, his cheek rubbing against her soft hair. He inhaled deeply. It was the same scent he as the dream.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, turning her face towards his. He grinned as their eyes met.

"Because I can." he laughed.

"Well, quit it." she snapped, pulling against him again. He jerked her back, holding her tightly against him.

"Who's Kenpachi?" his voice growled hotly against her ear. He felt Misaki jerk at the sound of the name.

"Where did you hear that name?" she asked, her voice low.

"Who is he? Some little human boy you gotta crush on?" he said in a teasing voice.

"No." she whispered, shaking her head slightly. "He's a shinigami...a captain."

Her words took him by surprise. She used it to her advantage, pulling out of his arms suddenly and stepping away from the couch. He stared up at her, shock on his face.

"How the fuck did you meet a shinigami captain?" he asked her. She shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. I don't want to talk about him." she said sharply, turning away from him.

"He your lover?" Grimmjow asked. She shook her head without looking back.

"He's not anything to me. He...he didn't want me." she whispered. He moved behind her. Without touching her, he leaned close to whisper into her ear,

"Sounds like something a stupid shinigami would do. You should steer clear of 'em, honey."

"Stop it, Grimmjow." she snapped. He grinned. She didn't want to discuss the man with him. Interesting, he thought.

"Don't worry. I'll make you forget all about the loser." he said as he walked past her, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked him softly as he opened the door. He paused, glancing back at her with a rakish smile.

"I'm gonna get you some fuckin' food. You need to eat something. You look like shit. Don't open the door to anyone and I mean ANYONE." he warned her sharply. "Stay here and don't wander around. It ain't safe. I won't be long."

Finally! Sorry about the delay. Between my life and my frustration with this chapter, it's taken me awhile to hammer this out. I'm really unsure about this chapter so, as always, reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much to everyone reading this story and reviewing it. I love you guys!!