I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

Chapter 25

Run. All he could think was to run. They were coming for him, close on his heels. Normally he could out run anyone if the need arose, but not today. He grasped his right arm tightly against his body to quell the horrific pain that was radiating from his shoulder. His side burned with each breath and he wondered if he had possibly broken some ribs when he slammed against the railing on the bridge.

The ground beneath him was soft from the recent rains and it was hard for him to keep his footing. He had already fallen several times which only amplified the pain in his already fatigued body. He knew the terrain was just as difficult to manage for his pursuers, but it did not seem to slow them down. He could hear them closing the distance between them quickly.

Desperation set in as he pushed himself harder. His brother's lifeless face plagued him as he ran; his grandmother's accusations screamed in his head. It had been an accident. He had never meant the child harm, but no one would ever believe him over her. She held the power, and he was nothing more than an abandoned relative left in her care.

Digging deep within himself he pushed on towards the top of the hill where the cave was located. If he could just make it there, if he could just hide inside the cool darkness, he knew that they would go away. The place was believed to be inhabited by demons and anyone who ventured inside would be cursed. He did not give such outlandish tales any merit, yet he knew the men chasing him would be too afraid to follow.

Just a bit further and he would be there. A shout rose up behind him and suddenly he felt a hand grab onto his clothes. He twisted violently trying to get away. The man struggled to hold on, but the cloth tore in his grasp. Daisuke felt it give, but could not stop himself from lurching forward as the tension suddenly disappeared. The ground beneath him began to slide and his footing became even more unstable. He reached out to right himself, but it was too late. The momentum was too great for him to overcorrect.

He began to fall down the side of the hill, his body rolling out of control, slowed only by collisions with rocks and fallen tree limbs. His already battered body screamed in agony with each hit he took until finally his painful descent came to its horrid conclusion. His back slammed against a tree with tremendous force causing the air to rush out of his body. As he gasped for air he brought his hand to his throat only to discover a sharp protrusion coming from his chest.

For a moment he sat stunned wondering how he could still be alive after such an injury. He felt the wood from the broken tree branch that had penetrated his back and exited through his chest just inches above his heart. It was sticky and warm, covered in blood, his blood. The trauma had yet to register in his brain. Once again he tried to breath, and as the air worked its way into his lungs the pain overwhelmed him.

He tried to scream out, but only a soft gurgling sound escaped from his lips. Panic set in as he realized that he was going to die. The fact that he was breathing at that moment in itself was miraculous, but he understood that it was only a matter of time before even that ability would cease.

Above him he could hear the men talking frantically amongst themselves.

"Damn it! I never intended for him to fall."

"It couldn't be helped. Don't blame yourself."

"We need to go after him."

"Are you crazy? With the ground like it is we could end up just like him."

"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just leave him like that."

"We should tell the old woman and then come back with the proper tools so that we can get him out without risking our lives."

"It doesn't feel right leaving him like that."

"He killed the young master. He doesn't deserve pity. Leave him for now. It's for the best."

The men argued a few moments more. He tried to call out to them, but his voice was but a garbled whisper. In the end they headed for the main house leaving him alone to face his death.

He sat there in the silence of the early evening gasping for air, his right leg a twisted mess beneath him, his arm, useless from his earlier injury, hung limply at his side. The pain began to ease slightly as numbness seeped into his body.

He stared straight ahead, but it wasn't the surrounding forest that he saw. Instead a vision of his father lying still, close to death, greeted him.

"Chichi," he choked out in a whisper.

With his uninjured arm he struggled to reach out to touch his father just one more time, but he couldn't muster the strength necessary. Dropping his arm to his side he began to cry. The hot tears burned a path down his cheeks. He hadn't cried since that night seven years earlier when he had cut his ties with his mother. He had vowed never to cry again, but lying here, facing death alone, he could not fight the overwhelming emotions coursing through him.

His father had died surrounded by those he loved, but Daisuke knew that his life would end on this dreary hillside with no one to comfort him, no one to ease his passing into the next life.

For most of his life he had faced loneliness and isolation. He had grown comfortable with the emptiness inside of him, but now, as he felt his life fading away, he desired nothing more than to be with someone, anyone, to ease this utter despair that washed over him. But that was not how it would be. His mother was holding another child in her arms; a son already cold from death. Her promise to hold a special place for him in her heart seemed forgotten.

Now it was too late. Regret gripped his soul and he wished that he could have back that moment seven years ago when he had refused her embrace. He would give anything to be held in her arms one more time, if only for this last moment.

And then it became too hard to think any longer. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but the lids were too heavy. Sleep sounded good; a nice long sleep to ease his pain. He closed his eyes on the world and silently slipped from life into death.

"Is that all you've got?" Kensei taunted as he stared at Ulquiorra's body lying face down on the ground.

The last hit he had taken was pretty hard and Orihime feared that the Vizard had done more damage than intended. She fought the urge to run over to him when suddenly he began to stir. Slowly Ulquiorra pushed himself off the ground, but when he finally stood to face the Vizard, Orihime's breath caught in her throat. The right side of his face was hidden behind the beginnings of a hollow mask. His eyes had changed as well; the sclera becoming black with the cornea turning yellow.

"There it is." She heard Shinji say from behind her.

Almost instantly Ulquiorra sprang into action. An inhuman growl came from deep in his throat as he lunged for Kensei. The Vizard tried to push him aside, but Ulquiorra was too fast. His left hand shot out with lighting quick speed and grasped Kensei by the neck, slamming him against the far wall in the process. His right arm drew back and she understood what was about to happen.

"Shit!" Ichigo exclaimed from beside her.

Suddenly he, as well as the other Vizards sprang into action. Ichigo grabbed Ulquiorra's wrist and pulled his arm away from Kensei's chest. The other Vizards lunged forward and they managed to drag him to the ground. He lay there on his back, struggling against their combined weight.

"Damn, I guess we should have expected that." Shinji exclaimed. "Makes you seem kinda weak Ichigo."

"This is nothing." Ichigo panted as he fought to hold Ulquiorra down.

"Well I've seen enough." Hiyori said. She stood, brought her foot up, and then smashed it down on the mask covering Ulquiorra's face. It shattered on impact.

"Geez, you could be a little gentler." Shinji said.

"Shut it dickhead!" she replied. "He almost ripped Kensei's heart from his chest. This is insane."

"More the reason to do this." Shinji said.

Ulquiorra lay on the ground still held in the Vizard's grasp. He breathing was harsh as he tried to calm himself. His eyes had returned to normal and Orihime knew that he was able to think clearly once more.

Shinji brought his face close to his, and with a smile said, "You've got your work cut out for you my friend. Still want to do this?"

"Yes." Ulquiorra hoarsely replied.

"Then let's go." Shinji said.

"What!" Ichigo exclaimed. "You're not going to make him run on that stupid machine that Hiyori came up with?"

Shinji stood and waved his comment aside, "I don't think it's going to really make a difference."

"So it's ok to run me like a freaking hamster on a wheel, but he gets a free ride."

"Looks like it Berry-kun." Mashiro teased.

The Vizards released Ulquiorra and he sat up slowly.

"Could I have a moment before we do this?" he asked softly.

"Geez what a pussy!" Hiyori said. "I thought the Espada were supposed to be tough. Your hollow comes out and you look ready to piss your pants."

Ulquiorra gave no response to her taunt. His face was pale and Orihime could tell that he was shaken, but somehow she didn't think it had anything to do with the earlier hollowfication.

"Give a rest Hiyori," Rose said from beside him. "If he can't do this we're gonna have to kill him. Why don't you give a moment to collect himself in peace?"

"You're all going soft." She grumbled but walked away without further protest.

"I don't understand how this is going to help his case." Captain Hitsugaya interrupted.

Shinji focused his attention on the Shinigami. "You take him back like this and that hollow will come out again. There's no way it's going away without a fight, and if he's cornered it will lash out without reason. We're giving him the chance to control it so that doesn't happen."

"Giving him the chance to fully wield that kind of power could prove dangerous. He almost killed one of you just now."

"That was instinct. We're offering him a chance at containing it and utilizing it properly." Shinji replied.

"And if you fail?"

"Then you don't have a problem any more. We can't allow him to live, and honestly I don't think he would want to exist in that state again. Am I right Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra still sat on the floor of the warehouse. Silently he rose to his feet and turned to face Shinji.

"I need to get some fresh air." He said. With that he started for the door.

"One of us should follow him." Ikkaku said.

Orihime didn't wait for a reply from the other Shinigami. She followed Ulquiorra out the door leaving them to decide their course of action on their own.

She found him a few feet from the entrance to the warehouse standing quietly staring up at the sky. She approached him and silently reached for his hand giving it a squeeze. They stood in silence until he said softly, "I know how I died. I experienced it just before I started to change."

She didn't know how to respond. After everything that had occurred in the last twenty-four hours she was unsure of what to say anymore.

"I was alone." He continued, not waiting for her to say anything. "There was no one there to hold me, no one to offer words of comfort. They left me to die alone..."

She couldn't bear to hear anymore. Turning to face him she grabbed him and drew him close to her. Wrapping her arms around him tightly she cried, "You're not alone anymore Ulquiorra. I'm here. Urahara-san, Kurosaki-kun, we're all here for you."

He brought his arms up and returned her embrace. Softly he said, "When I taunted you in Hueco Mundo it was my own fear and disappointment that I was trying to suppress. I hated your resolve, your complete faith in your friends. Even alone you were ready to face death because you were secure in their love."

"You have our love…"

Ignoring her he continued on, "I was glad when you appeared on the rooftop with Uryu. I wanted you to see Kurosaki die. I wanted you to see that your hopes were misplaced." He paused seemingly lost in thought. "He wouldn't give up either. He knew I was superior in strength, but he continued to fight. Why? Why would he do that? He knew he was defeated before we even began. Why would he continue to fight?"

She didn't have an answer for him, and part of her felt that he really wasn't looking for one from her. Inside he was struggling with something that only he could figure out. Still she wanted to do something, say something, to make it better, but before she could speak he broke free of her embrace and stepped away from her.

She could hear the frustration in his voice as he said, "I do not know what I am doing here anymore. This was a mistake. I do not belong in your world; I never did. You should have left me as ash. Bringing me back has brought you nothing but trouble."

His words sparked something within her. Anger that she was so unaccustomed to feeling began to course through her veins. She knew what he was doing. He was giving up. He was going to back down from this and walk away. Without thought she brought her hand up and struck him hard across the face. His eyes registered shock and she was glad.

"How dare you say such a thing." She said. "How dare you."

Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she fought to keep them from falling. She would not cry, not now, not when she had so much to lose.

Looking into his eyes she continued, "After all that we have gone through I never would have pegged you for a coward."

His eyes grew wide in surprise at her words. The mask that he had crafted to hide his emotions, the one that had been slowly breaking apart over the past few months, seemed to shatter. He reached out and grabbed her arms and brought his face close to hers.

"I am no coward!"

"Then fight for your life!" she yelled. "You're scared Ulquiorra. You understand what is at stake here and it terrifies you. But that's part of being human. Don't you think Ichigo was scared in Hueco Mundo? Don't you think we all were scared? But we fought on because we had to. The human heart drives us on to fight for what is most important." She paused for a moment as the tears that she had tried to suppress began to fall. Looking into his eyes she continued on softer than before. "I can't imagine my life without you. Please, please don't give up now."

His grip on her arms loosened and suddenly she felt his arms embrace her and pull her close. Silently she sobbed into his chest. He remained still, never speaking, until at last she gained control again. Finally he let out a deep sigh.

"The human heart brings one much pain and discomfort."

"But it also brings great joy." She replied.

"It causes one to do things that are foolish."

"Yes it does."

"Would it not be better to feel nothing?"

"And miss those moments of bliss? All I went through in Hueco Mundo was worth it when I saw you smile for the first time. When I knew that I helped to make you happy."

"You are mistaken." He said. "I do not smile."

"Oh you think you don't but I've seen a few here and there. You try to act all serious, but you have a silly side. I know it."

He only stared at her.

"Don't worry. I won't let your secret out. I know how important it is for guys to seem tough and all grrrr."

"That does not even make sense."

For some reason his words made her blush.

"I just… it's just… well you know…I like when you smile…a lot more then when you're all serious and stuff…"

Without warning he pressed forward and took her lips with a little more force than usual, effectively cutting off her rambling. He then moved his mouth slowly towards her ear and in a husky whisper said, "You are the strangest human I have ever met."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" she asked.

He pulled back slightly and looked at her for a moment, and then it happened. A smile, not his usual teasing, little smirks, but a genuine smile. She couldn't help but sigh in response.

"Strange can be good." She whispered.

"I like strange." He replied. "I like strange very much."

Suddenly she heard a cough from behind them. Startled she jumped and turning around saw Rangiku and Captain Hitsugaya staring at her and Ulquiorra. Rangiku stood smirking, like a cat that had just caught its prey. The captain on the other hand stood gaping with his mouth wide open, shock clearly written all over his face.

"Well, I guess I should have expected this. Can't leave you two alone for a minute can we?" she teased.

Orihime couldn't help but flush red from head to toe.

"We were just talking…"

"That's my kind of talking!"

"Lieutenant!" Toshiro yelled. "This isn't something to joke about."

"Would you prefer all this tension?"

"This is a serious situation."

"All the more reason for a little fun." She replied and then winked at Orihime. "Orihime seems to understand that."

Captain Hitsugaya ignored her response.

"If you are going to do this," he said looking at Ulquiorra, "then we should head back inside before I change my mind and we take you with us now."

"No, no," Orihime began. "We don't want that. Ulquiorra just needed some time to think."

"Then we should go." Toshiro said.

They began to head back inside. She walked a few steps ahead of Ulquiorra, next to Captain Hitsugaya. Rangiku walked behind her. She could hear her talking quietly to Ulquiorra, but she couldn't hear what was being said. She could only hope it wasn't too embarrassing.

"I suppose you were standing there for awhile." He asked Matsumoto as soon as Orihime was out of earshot.

She smiled and replied, "Long enough. Though I have to say you bring out a certain intensity in Orihime that I have never seen before with anyone else."

"She has been just as intense before."

"Really? So you're one of those kinds of guys."

"I am unsure of what you mean?"

"You know the kind that likes it a little rough."

He remained silent at her taunt, unsure of how to respond to such teasing. Rangiku looked at him and let out a laugh.

"It's odd how two people who are so completely different can fit together so perfectly."

This time he could feel his face flush at her remarks. The idea of being in a relationship with another, caring for that person's needs and desires, was so foreign to him as it was, but to hear her talk about it so openly was a little embarrassing.

"Am I to understand that you then approve of this fit." He asked.

She laughed again and replied, "Anyone else would be too boring. She needs a little spice."

He assumed that was her way of saying yes to his question. Slowing his step he turned to her and said, "I have something to ask of you."

She stopped and replied, "Go ahead."

"I do not know what to expect from this. Kurosaki says that it is no place for someone like Orihime." He paused for a moment and then said, "If things go wrong she will try to fix it. I need to know that she will not be able to interfere. If I lose this battle it is most likely that she will be the first to get hurt."

"Then don't lose." She said in a deadly serious tone of voice.

"And if Soul Society refuses to forgive my past?"

"Then I will do everything within my power to keep her from harm."

"I see." He replied. "Thank you."

Her face registered surprise at his response, but just as quickly it was gone. They both began to walk again in silence. Her simple reassurance was enough for now. He would need to focus on this battle first then he could worry about Soul Society.

They joined the Vizards and the other Shinigami. The room was heavy with tension. Shinji stepped forward and said, "Are you ready to begin?"

He nodded his head in response.

"There is a limited span of time to do this once we start. I can't guarantee how long that time frame will be for you, but you must master your inner hollow before then or we will have to end it for you."

"I understand."

"Aright then," Shinji replied. Quickly he brought his hand up to Ulquiorra's face. "Let's get this started."

Suddenly the room went dark and he could feel himself falling. It had begun. There was no turning back now. As the world slipped away he heard Orihime's words once more: The human heart drives us on to fight for what is most important. He knew what was most important now and he vowed he would do everything to fight for it and for her.

A.N. Now on with the show!