Ugly Duckling
Bleach and its characters do not belong to me.
The longer I sat tied to that chair, the weaker I got and the colder my body became.
Every inch of me screamed in pain. I was covered in blood, sweat, and tears.
My body felt heavy and my vision became blurry.
As I drifted away into unconsciousness, an angel descended upon me, calling out my name.
My last thought was that I must be dead.
"DAMMIT! I've lost count of how many times we've searched the place."
Grimmjow ran his fingers through his hair.
"Maybe she's not here anymore?"
His suggestion was most likely right, but if so… where did we look.
"Maybe we should go to the police."
Grimmjow shook his head.
"And tell them what? We have no proof and it's Halloween. They won't take us seriously."
I didn't like that he was right.
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do!"
He just stared at me, not answering.
A ringing sound came from his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone.
His eyes widened in shock.
He showed the message to me.
Your precious Orihime is at the abandoned warehouse on the corner of Bade and Bremmerton. I'd hurry if I were you.
"I don't recognize the number."
I did.
"It's Orihime's. Let's go."
"That's it? You have me torture her, you talk to her and we leave. I never got her to promise to stay away from him!"
I sighed.
"I never expected her to promise such a thing. It works in my favor for them to be close. I only used you Loly. You may go back home now. You're no longer needed."
She screeched and I was ready to strangle her.
"You said the whole reason for me coming here was to get my Ulquiorra back! You lied to me!"
I shrugged.
"I had no reason to be truthful to you. You mean nothing to me. You are expendable. The boy doesn't want you Loly. What you just did will make him ate you forever. Come to terms with that will you? Remember, don't breathe a word of this. Your plane leaves tomorrow morning."
Tears leaked out of her eyes as I left her behind.
He doesn't want me?
But he wants that Tramp?
He hates me?
What does she have that I don't have?
Fine! If I can't have him, no one will.
"My God, Orihime! Orihime wake up!"
I stared down at her in horror. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of her chest, I'd think she were dead.
I was ready to kill whoever did this, but there more important things at hand.
I knelt down and went at the ropes that were tying her to the chair.
"Is she okay?"
Grimmjow was staring at her in shock.
"Get a hold of yourself and help me untie her!"
He shook himself and knelt down on the other side of her.
She groaned at the jostling and I crooned at her.
"It's going to be okay, I'm here."
My hands were shaking from anger.
"Ulquiorra…"
Grimmjow hesitated and looked at me.
"What?"
He sighed and went back to untying her feet.
"She really loves you, you know?"
I slight smile tugged at my lips and I nodded.
"Yea I know."
He nodded.
"I think she could do better…"
I tugged harder than necessary at the ropes and Orihime groaned.
"Do you mean you?"
He shook his head and gave me a sad look.
"No. I don't deserve her, but neither do you. You're the reason she's in this mess."
I got her hands untied and went to help him with her feet.
"What makes you say that?"
He inclined his head at her lap. There was a piece of paper on it.
Mr. Cifer. If you wish to prevent this from ever happening again, please forfeit your rights to Cifer Corporation.
I gagged. I wanted to take all the pain she suffered and inflict it on myself.
"It was my uncle. I heard him talking about your company being second to his or something."
I glared at him.
"And you didn't think to mention it before this happened?"
I lifted Orihime into my arms and left Grimmjow sitting in the dark.
As I carried her, her eyes fluttered open.
"Ulquiorra?"
She started crying and clung to me.
"Ssh. It's okay now."
She sobbed into my chest.
"I thought I was going to die. I thought I'd never see you again. It was Loly and Aizen Ulquiorra."
I nodded and kissed her forehead.
"I know. We're going to the police right now."
She gripped my shoulder. She was so frail that I barely felt any pressure.
"Please no. He'll come after me again. I just wanna go home. Please take my home."
It broke my heart seeing her so a broken and defeated.
I set her on her feet and wrapped her in my arms before she lost her footing.
"I'm never going to let anything happen to you again. Is my house okay? Sora'd kill me if I brought you home like this."
She weekly nodded and I lifted her into my arms again.
"Sorry my clothes are so big."
I shook my head and laid my head down on his pillow as he cleaned and bandaged all my wounds.
"It's fine. They smell like you. It makes me feel safe."
He looked into my eyes. Guilt filled his.
"You are safe. I'm so sorry Orihime."
I glared at him.
"It's not your fault. Aizen's twisted. It's all him."
He still looked guilty so I sat up and bent down to kiss him.
"Don't blame yourself. You saved me. I'm okay. That's all that matters."
He shook his head.
"If Grimmjow hadn't of gotten that test I never would have found you."
I smiled at him and rolled my eyes.
"Technicalities."
He gave a weak laugh.
I reached out to him and pulled him onto the bed.
"I'm tired. Hold me while I sleep okay?"
He nodded and wrapped me in his arms.
He kissed my forehead and whispered into my ear.
"Sleep well. I'll never let anything happen to you again. I love you Orihime."
I smiled.
"I love you too Ulquiorra."
As Orihime slept, I thought.
The obvious thing to do would be to go the police, but I wasn't sure what good it would do.
Besides Orihime's injuries, we didn't have much proof. I doubted Aizen was stupid enough to leave behind and evidence.
I had no interest in my father's company and he had never instilled in me that he wanted me to inherit.
I could easily sign off my rights to the company, but would it do any good?
He could easily do this Orihime again as soon as he wanted something out of me.
He knew how much I cared about her.
It's all my fault! If I wasn't in her life…
My eyes snapped open and I cringed at the idea that had passed through my head.
No! Absolutely no!
But if it worked….
I looked at her sleeping face and all the cuts and bruises.
I would sacrifice my happiness for her well being any day.
She'd hate me and would never forgive me, but if she was safe it wouldn't matter.
Just thinking of what I was going to do made me want to cry.
I gently shook her awake.
A slight jostling made me wake up.
I looked up into Ulquiorra's face with a confused expression.
"What is it?"
He face looked tortured as he stood up and started pacing the room.
Dread filled my body.
"Ulquiorra?"
He stopped and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Hear me out okay?"
I nodded weakly.
"If we go to the police, who knows how much could be done. If anything would be solved. I'm more than happy to sign my rights over. I don't give a damn about the company. The only thing I care about is you. I don't know what else to do Orihime."
He voice was low and urgent. I was scared.
"What are you saying?"
He turned to me and pain saturated his eyes.
He walked over to me and cupped my face.
"I think… we should break up."
He stumbled over those last words and the air whooshed out my lungs.
"Why?"
It was barely more than a whisper.
"If you're not with me. If he thinks I don't care about you anymore, he'll leave you alone. You'll never get hurt again. I will not put you through tonight again."
He was willing for me to understand.
I didn't. I shook my head.
"No! That's not the answer. He'll know it's a lie. I won't live a lie just to be safe. I can look after myself."
He looked doubtful and caressed my cheek.
"Says the girl that was just kidnapped and tortured."
I cringed away from the memory.
"The whole time Loly wanted me to say I'd stay away from you. The whole time I said no. If you do this you'll just be giving her what she wants."
I was crying and pain and regret etched its impression onto his face.
He hung his head.
"Orihime, I'd rather be without you and you be safe then with you and you in danger."
That was a slap to my face.
I wrenched away from him and stood up.
"I'm not worth the effort then"
He flinched away from the venom in my voice.
Good.
"That's not what I meant…"
I glared at him.
"No, but it's what you said."
I reached up and undid his necklace from around my neck and laid it on his desk.
"Fine. We're broken up."
I stopped before leaving his room.
"You're being a coward. I hate cowards."
I ran out of his house and into the street.
Tears flew behind me as I ran.
I didn't notice a car's headlights turn on from behind me.
"There you are tramp. I figured you'd be with him."
I revved the engine. My target in sight.
I was frozen in shock on my bedroom floor.
"She hates me…"
I knew she said it out of hurt and anger, but it still wasn't something I wanted to hear.
She was right. I was being a coward.
Orihime!
I got up off the floor, grabbed her necklace and ran out after Orihime.
I stopped when I got to the street corner.
I looked both ways trying to find her.
I saw her and breathed a sigh of relief.
Until I saw the car and driver heading in her direction, not relenting in speed.
"Orihime!"
She turned in surprise and fear filled her eyes when she saw the car.
She was frozen in her spot.
I didn't think I'd be able to make it in time.
My eyes got wide as Loly drove the car, heading straight for me.
I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.
I got to her just in time and pushed her out of the way.
The pain was unbearable as the car rammed into my side.
I was unconscious before I hit the ground.
My eyes widened in disbelief.
My scream and the screeching of breaks shattered the stillness of the night.
"ULQUIORRA!"
Red and blue lit up the street.
Police cars and an ambulance showed up shortly after Ulquiorra had been.
As they took my report, I could hear Loly screaming at police officers.
"No! Don't take me away from him. I love him! He needs me! It's all that tramps fault. And Aizen! He lied to me! He said if I helped him I could have Ulquiorra back! No!"
I started crying as they loaded Ulquiorra into the back of the ambulance.
"Can't I go with them officer?"
He shook his head.
"I'm sorry Ma'am. I need to ask you a few more questions. Then I'll take you to the hospital personally."
I nodded.
"So that young lady is the one that inflicted all your injuries."
I nodded.
"Besides a few scrapes from when Ulquiorra pushed me out of the way of the car."
He nodded.
"Was the attack provoked?"
I shook my head.
"She's had it out for me since she came here. She didn't like that I'm dating her ex… was dating her ex."
I started crying some more.
He raised an eyebrow.
"You two aren't together anymore?"
I shook my head.
"He thought it'd be best if we broke up. That I'd be safe this way."
He nodded in understanding.
"I know it's not my place, but I think things will work out now. He came after you after all."
Before I could answer I heard my name.
Rukia and Sora were running towards me looking frantic.
Rukia wrapped me in a hug.
"I was so worried! Never do this to me again you hear?"
I nodded and hugged her back.
Sora looked me over and anger filled his eyes.
"Who did this to you?"
I nodded towards Loly.
"Loly, but Aizen told her to do it."
They looked around.
"Where's Ulquiorra?"
I could barely choke it out.
"Loly… tried to run me over. He pushed me out of the way… They took him to the hospital."
An officer walked up to me.
"Miss?"
I nodded.
"Yes?"
He held something out to me.
"Is this yours? The victim was holding it?"
I could barely see the necklace through my blurry eyes.
The victim…
They made it sound like he was dead.
I thanked him and took it away.
I turned to Rukia.
"Will you put it on me?"
She nodded and clasped it.
An hour later the police escorted us to the hospital.
Rukia walked into Ulquiorra's room and offered me a bottle of water.
"Aizen's been convicted and Loly was sent to a psych ward in Europe."
I didn't care.
"That won't make Ulquiorra wake up."
It had been a week since he'd been hit. He hadn't been conscious soon.
She nodded.
"I know Orihime. I know you don't want to leave him, but shouldn't you go home so you can eat and shower."
I hadn't left his room since the first night he had been admitted.
I wanted to be here when he woke up.
"I eat. I took a shower the other day downstairs. I'm not leaving."
She looked nervous as she talked.
"I understand Orihime, but… what if he doesn't wake up."
I glared at her.
"Get out."
She looked hurt.
"I'm sorry Orihime, but it's a possibiltity."
I growled at her.
"I'm not giving up on him. If you are, get out."
A few tears escaped her eyes, which made me cry and we hugged each other.
"I'm sorry Rukia, I'm just so scared."
She patted my back.
"I know. I'm sorry too."
She pulled away and wiped her tears.
"I have to get going. Do you need anything?"
I shook my head.
"You can't give me what I need."
She smiled sadly and left me in my pool of depression.
I reached for his hand and squeezed.
"Come back to me Ulquiorra."
His hands were cold and stiff as stone.
There was no sign that he had heard me or even knew I was there.
My body was heavy and numb.
I couldn't control it. I wasn't sure if I was alive or dead.
My eyelids were too heavy to open.
All sounds were distorted.
My mouth was parched and felt like it had been stuffed with cotton.
The air smelled wrong. Too clean. My favorite scent was gone.
A few days later I overheard the doctor talking to Ulquiorra's parents.
"We can't say for sure Mrs. Cifer. It's not an exact science. Some people wake up after a few days. Or it could weeks, months, even years. Others… don't wake up at all."
It was different hearing it from a certified doctor than from Rukia.
It seemed too real hearing a doctor saying it.
I started choking out uncontrollable sobs.
All my sense came rushing back.
I could suddenly feel my body.
The worst sound on the earth met my ears. Her crying.
Making her cry was unforgivable. I felt a soft pressure on my hand.
I tried to return the pressure. It took me a few minutes to get my body to cooperate.
I heard a gasp.
When I felt him squeeze my hand, I thought I might be dreaming.
I looked up into pools of green.
"Don't cry Orihime."
His voice was better then I remembered it, and despite his request, I started crying more.
"Ulquiorra!"
I made to hug him but he flinched and I sat down.
"Sorry."
He shook his head.
"I'm just in a lot of pain right now."
I chewed on my lip and let loose everything I had been dying to say.
"I was so scared! This week's been a living hell."
"Orihime…"
"I was scared you wouldn't wake up. I kept telling everyone you would, but I wasn't sure."
"Orihime…"
"What if you had died and the last thing I said to you was that I hated you?"
"Orihime…"
"I know you said you wanted to break up, but I don't want it. Not at all. I won't force you of course, but ple—"
"ORIHIME!"
She jumped in surprise. I had never raised my voice at her before. The effort strained my throat.
My gaze softened and I patted the empty part of my bed.
"Come over here."
She got up and curled in beside me.
I shifted so that I could put an arm around her and pull her to me.
I kissed her forehead and she sighed.
"Calm down. Everything's okay."
I breathed in her scent and trailed my fingers over face, memorizing everything about her all over again.
"Aizen's in prison and Loly's back in Europe."
I breathed a sigh of relief at that.
"You're not hurt are you?"
She shook her head.
"You took the whole blow. That was very stupid by the way. If you had I would've killed you!"
I chuckled and pecked her lips.
"As if getting hit by a car could kill me."
She snuggled in closer.
We lay there in silence until something came to my mind.
"I didn't want to break up either babe. I just wanted you safe."
She looked at me.
"I know."
"I was an idiot."
She nodded.
"I was stupid."
"Very."
I smiled.
"I love you."
She smiled back and I was blinded by the sight.
"I love you too."
I rubbed her back and tried to remember something.
"Bird Town…"
She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Huh?"
"That band we went and saw."
She laughed and I was overjoyed at the sound.
"Owl City."
I nodded.
"Yea them. There was this song they sang. I forget what it's called, but there was a line that stuck with me."
She smiled.
"What's that?"
I squeezed her hand.
" 'I desperately need you.'"
She blushed and I kissed her, putting all my love for her into it.
Sorry about the constant change of POV's and sorry its so long compared to other chapters.
I hope everyone is satisfied with the ending. If not, I'm truly sorry.
For all those GinRan fans out there, look forward to my next story.
The first chapter should be up tomorrow of Thrusday.
Until then, Love Gurgi.
Reviews Please. :O)
