A/N: Been a while since I updated. I blame holiday craziness and stupid demands at work. But back to the story. (You might want to read the previous couple chapters if you don't quite remember where we left off. Or just read them for the smexy goodness. They're a couple of my fav's.)

Lesser Evil- Chapter 25

By: Raicheru

Ichigo and Grimmjow blasted the opening of the cave clear and stepped out into the moonlight to see a changed landscape. Not that it was all that different. The never ending dunes may have been a different shape before the storm but it was hard to tell just looking at it now. How can you tell the difference between one heap of sand and the next? Ichigo brushed at his robe. Sand had gotten everywhere and nothing short of an hour long shower would change that. The corner of his mouth quirked up a little and Grimmjow frowned.

"What?" Ichigo shook his head and chuckled.

"Nothing." He sobered a little when he remembered that they had to go back to Las Noches. "You ready to go back?"

"Are you?" He kicked at a small pile of sand.

"Not really." His stomach gurgled a little. Yet another reason they had to return. As much as he hated to admit it, they were dependant on Aizen at the moment. "C'mon." They could have used a flash step or a sonido to get back quickly, but they found themselves taking their time and walking slowly over the dunes. Neither could really come up with anything to say and they moved along quietly. This outing had been a success of sorts, but somehow Ichigo knew that it still wasn't really enough. Sometimes he wondered if it would ever be enough. When they were about half way there, they stopped as they felt a familiar raietsu approach and both frowned as Ulquiorra appeared suddenly in front of them. His face was impassive as ever.

"Where have you been?"

"We don't answer to you, asshole." Grimmjow glanced over at Ichigo to see his face flushed and angry as he spoke.

"You are supposed to remain in Las Noches."

"I don't remember that being part of deal. I'm still here in this fucking wasteland aren't I? Where the hell else am I supposed to go?" Ichigo was breathing heavy and he had to clench his jaw to keep from continuing his angry rant. This was the last person he wanted to see right now. He wasn't entirely sure how he knew but over the last few days, it had become clear that Ulquiorra had been the one that brought him back here. Ichigo had never considered himself capable of hate before, but he was beginning to wonder if that might change.

"You will return with me immediately."

"No, we're not going with you." A slim, dark brow rose. "We're going back, but we can get there on our own. Go away and leave us alone." Ulquiorra opened his mouth again and Ichigo nearly reached for his sword. Grimmjow stepped between them.

"Unless Aizen has asked for us specifically, there's no rush. Just go." Ulquiorra's eyes flicked dismissively to the former espada and then back to Ichigo. They both thought that he was about to leave. He was actually turning but instead of heading away, he completed the move and landed a backhanded blow that sent Grimmjow flying to the sand several feet away. Ichigo had Zangetsu out instantly and moved to stand in Ulquiorra's way as he started to follow.

The Cuarta espada stopped, his eyes a little wider than usual. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd even come out here. There was no summons, no reason for him to escort them back. Their location had been known since before they left and was easily tracked across the desert. So it wasn't as if they'd really gotten away in the first place. But he found himself wanting to see the human. Again. Despite having momentarily sated himself before, it wasn't enough. He still didn't understand, and it was getting to the point that he didn't care anymore. And then Grimmjow had stepped in the way.

Ulquiorra was actually under orders not to touch either of them. His last interaction with the boy had not been approved and he'd spent days recovering from the punishment. But that wasn't what was on his mind right now. Orange hair and tanned skin fill his vision as Ichigo held his sword out warily in front of him. There was fury in his brown eyes, and just a hint of fear too. The boy turned his head a little without taking his eyes off the slim arrancar.

"You okay?" There was a pained grunt in reply as Grimmjow pulled himself up. Spitting out a mouthful of bloody sand, he tried to stand but ended up on his knees instead. That was damn hard hit, much more so than he'd anticipated. For all his wariness, he'd let his guard down a little. Of all the people in Las Noches, he figured Ulquiorra was the last one that would actually disobey a direct order. Of course, he should be fair game now that he'd landed the first hit, but the rules had changed since all of this had started. They had to be extremely careful. Apparently Ichigo was thinking the same thing. His weapon remained ready, but he hadn't attacked yet.

"What do you want?" Ichigo hoped that the slight tremors that wracked his body and shook his sword would be attributed to anger and not fear. Ulquiorra tilted his head to the side and considered his answer. What did he want? There was no way he could have the boy with Grimmjow there. He'd just get in the way. And he couldn't just kill Grimmjow without Ichigo stepping in to stop him. A small thread of curiosity wove through him.

He'd seen the creature that Ichigo had become in the human world and the mask that was a product of it. Grimmjow was nothing. Perhaps he could end him and then worry about the rest after. No. Another thought occurred to him. He'd make him watch. A little petty perhaps, but lately his calm demeanor had been twisting in uncomfortable ways. It was the boy's fault really. None of this would have happened if he'd had the good grace to die in the first place. Then, none of this would be a problem.

Grimmjow's eyes widened as he watched Ulquiorra stretch out an arm an mutter something under his breath. He made a startled sound as his arms were clamped to his sides by a strong invisible force. He was knocked over onto his side as his legs were bound together the same way. A binding spell. What the fuck was Ulquiorra doing? He strained his muscles trying to rip free, but it was a strong, upper level incantation and he couldn't break it.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo had only glanced away for a second, but that's all it took to have Ulquiorra move right in front of him. There was a predatory hunger in his gaze that had Ichigo stumbling back a few steps. He'd seen that look before when he'd come to Hueco Mundo the first time. When he'd tried to . . .Ichigo slashed out with his sword. "Getsuga Tensho!" It wasn't happening again. Period. The blast was batted casually away from its target. Grimmjow had to roll to the side to avoid being hit by the ricochet. Ichigo's attention was drawn away again and a blow to his gut knocked the wind from him before he could shunpo away. Grimmjow saw him hesitate.

"Dammit! Don't pay any fucking attention to me! Keep your focus on hmmnnph!" He stopped mid-sentence as the binding was expanded to clamp his jaw shut. Ulquiorra had never cared for Grimmjow's profanity. And he liked the angry glint that flashed in the boy's eyes when he'd silenced him. He'd never before understood the attraction that fighting held for some. Up until now, he'd considered it a utilitarian action, merely a means to an end. But he was beginning to see what they meant now. Was it anticipation for what he'd be able to do once he'd beaten him, or the battle itself? Ulquiorra wasn't entirely sure. Leaping forward, he raised his fist and brought it down, hitting the sand where Ichigo had just been standing with concussive force.

Ichigo danced back and held up his sword. He was afraid to use his ability, knowing it would probably be aimed at Grimmjow again. He knew he should be focusing on the fight and nothing else, but he couldn't help it. Grimmjow was all he had and the thought of losing him. . . He wouldn't think about it. He couldn't. Feeling his anger rising again, he released his bankai and brought his hand up to his face. There was an angry, reddish black surge of raietsu that surrounded him and spread across the sand as the mask materialized over his face. His voice had taken on a distorted edge as he stared at Ulquiorra with golden eyes.

"I'm not dealing with your shit anymore." Pulling all his energy into one huge blast, he centered it on Ulquiorra's chest. "Getsuga Tensho." The wave crashed forward and Ulquiorra put out a contemptuous hand to stop it. But his eyes widened a little when it impacted. He had to brace his feet against the sand and pull his other hand out of his pocket. Grimmjow's eyes widened silently as he saw that Ulquiorra was being forced back. The Cuarta espada nearly cursed.

"Impossible." Ulquiorra had known that the boy had grown since their first encounter, but this was something else. He wasn't entirely sure he could stop it completely. The explosion sent up a huge gout of sand that rained down on the whole area. Ichigo's mask disintegrated, his energy depleted from the force of the attack. That had to be it. He'd never let out something like that and there was no way he could have survived it. So when the dust settled to reveal a disheveled but whole espada watching him, his eyes widened in horror. That had been nearly everything, and the asshole barely looked like he'd been touched at all. How could he have ever thought that he could beat Aizen by himself? He couldn't even defeat Ulquiorra, who was only the fourth strongest of his army. And the bastard hadn't even drawn his damn sword yet.

"Impressive. I almost couldn't stop it." Green eyes came up to regard Ichigo calmly with just a hint of amusement in their emerald depths. It had been strong, and at the time he had been a little worried. But if that was it, then the rest would be easy. "Was that all you had?" Ichigo took off and Ulquiorra immediately gave chase. They traded blows over the dunes as they traveled at unimaginable speeds, the flashes of their attacks glinting over the sand.

All Ichigo could think to do was run. It was clear he couldn't win this. Leaving Grimmjow behind bothered him, but if Ulquiorra hadn't killed him while he was bound and relatively helpless, then maybe he wouldn't. At least not right now. But he had other things to worry about. Ichigo had a sick feeling that he knew how this fight was going to end if he lost. He couldn't stand the thought of letting Grimmjow see it. So he ran, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

Ulquiorra was growing tired of this. The game was getting boring. But while the boy couldn't beat him, he didn't leave Ulquiorra many openings either. He couldn't really find a way to end it without killing him. And that would defeat the purpose entirely. He dodged a flurry of hits that had a sense of desperation behind them. Ulquiorra didn't particularly enjoy the panic either. A little fear added a nice edge, but this was a bit much. His irritation pushed at him and his hand shot forward. They both stopped suddenly, the glittering sand thrown up by their battle settling in the relative quiet. Ichigo's eyes widened as the hit connected and he looked down at Ulquiorra's hand buried in the center of his chest.

This wasn't how this was supposed to end was it? He couldn't bear the thought of being beaten and used by the espada, but he really didn't want to die. He had one last conscious thought as he fell to his knees. Grimmjow. . . Across the sand, the message stilled the struggling arrancar who lay where the fight had begun. Grimmjow could barely breathe. Ichigo's spiritual pressure had just bottomed out. And his call. . . Pulling on the depths of his strength, his muscles bunched and he screamed behind his closed lips. The binding ripped away and he was immediately tearing across the sand, his sonido blasting deep craters as he passed.

Outlined in the distance, he could see two figures. One stood over the other. When he got close enough, he could see Ichigo on the ground, a deep hole punched though his chest and Ulquiorra looking down at him with a mixture of surprise and dissapointment. Grimmjow's vision narrowed and it was all he could see. So he didn't notice the weapon heading for him until it connected solidly right where his shoulder met his neck. Time slowed as he fell, his eyes wide in shock. He landed hard on the sand not far short of his initial goal. Looking back to the source of the attack, he couldn't do anything but lay still.

"Nnoitra, you bastard."

* * *

Oh so evil to leave it there, I know. I'm working diligently on continuing, so don't worry. I won't leave them like this.