The creature who had been Kurosaki Ichigo remembered her. He no longer felt much of anything other than the overwhelming hunger that gnawed at the vestiges of sanity he had left. There were some like the former rebelrousers of Zaraki's Squad who were lost. They were mad, ravening hoardes little better than the common newly turned Gillian. They fought amongst themselves, savagely mauling any newcomer who approached his growing band.

They wouldn't evolve any further, he was sure.

His black reptilian eyes turned to the figure he had been so assiduously following. It was a girl or would've passed for one in another lifetime. The non-existent heart in his carved out chest might've quickened once with the look-a-like face and soft downcast mouth. She had black hair and pale, pale skin like snow. Her long black hair was pointed at the ends, lying against her slim back.The one oddity about this girl was her bicolored lip.The black streak was all Ulquiorra.

She was curious about the world her mother left behind. She heard stories enough from the surviving Arrancar about the so-called balance, the Shinigami and Aizen to wonder why she was born into this colorless place.

She was fifteen years old. He was her age when he first used a sword to protect.

She looked like Kuchiki Rukia, the girl who changed his world once, who fucked up the world for the worse. He still remembered the taste of his sisters' screams.

The girl strayed too often from the shadow of the large monolithic fortress. The inner sanctum was heavily guarded with the presiding ruler employing tactics learned during her extensive afterlife to safeguard the Numeros and Espadas. Rukia was a cunning enemy. His rippling muscles tensed beneath bony platelets. A ridge of armor protected his weaker spine. He was capable of upright walk, able to make sounds from a throat that were almost human in nature. The human regressed into a better, faster hunter.

The thing growled softly, a low guttural rumble that the others knew to be a warning. He wanted to carve this girl open, bathe his hands that were no longer hands but claws meant for tearing flesh, in her blood. His gory fantasy filled his empty purposeless existence with meaning.

The girl was Rukia's treasure. Her second born and first living child until a boy came squalling into the stark monochromatic world of Las Noches.

...and he wanted her.

Rukia touched the hilt of her sword. It was a familiar gesture that calmed her racing heartbeat somewhat. As of late, she'd heard a distant howl. A singular note of inhuman rage. She reminded herself when the memories filtered ghost-like through her mind; it wasn't Ichigo anymore. She paid her debt to him...them twice over. They paid for their crimes in blood. Compunction had been a part of her make since Kaien's death. Rukia felt less of it now.

She looked up when the door panel retracted silently. Ulquiorra had finished his patrol.

"She's still sulking."

Yes, she knew. Her children grew fast, something with their hybridized forms and the rich reishii atmosphere of Hueco Mundo. Rukia felt his gaze sweep past her, ever economical, effecient. He was searching for whatever had caused her distress. She left the discarded pile of partially folded clothing and went to him. For all his exterior appearance of disinterest, Rukia knew he was intensely aware of her moods and emotions.

"I want her to stay close."

"Few would set foot here."

"Still...," She bit her lower lip hesitating on naming her fear. The Western Branch of Soul Society had been seen in the living world. She knew very little about them other than rumors of witches. She had learned to distrust any who shared ties with her former home after briefly offering protection to the few remaining Shinigami in the living world whose stationed posts kept them from being gassed. Mercy was a rare thing she reserved for a few souls. Rukia's thoughts turned dark remembering when they glimpsed her children...the drawn swords and looks of repulsion.

"They'll kill her on first sight."

He looked into her eyes, calmly absorbing the strain in her face. Ulquiorra's touch was gentle on her shoulders, unspooling her hair free from its binding.

"We'll have la Sexta watch her."

Grimmjow?

Rukia was aware of the blue-haired Arrancar's fascination with her girl. He had spent years trying to think of a way to usurp control of Las Noches and nearly as long letting the twin terrors swing from his arms, baring their teeth at anyone they didn't like. They were almost wild, causing mishaps, breakages and pulling pranks on the Octava. They'd gotten far too old to be taken care of by his roly-poly fracciones. But when her girl had shot up in height, her flat, child-like body rounding with undeniably female curves, she stopped resembling a softer spoken version of her brother. Rukia noticed only then did Grimmjow find something else to fixate on. It wasn't so worrisome back then but as of late, her girl had returned those stares.

"She's...," Rukia faltered unable to come up with a valid reason why Grimmjow was unsuitable. His growing infatuation with her wouldn't offer much protection, but still...

Ulquiorra's steady gaze implied she was being overprotective. At least Rukia assumed he was thinking along those lines. Sometimes he was still an enigma to her.

"Very well, he'll suffice."

AN: so several people let me know that they felt the original ending to Breaking the Soul was rather abrupt. I actually agree although I liked the epilogue. In this case, oThErSiDe looks at a time further in the future. A recent review from Viihks got me thinking about how would Ulquiorra and Rukia's relationship look after years had passed? Ichigo and his questionably successful rescue of Rukia was a separate plot point in the original story, but how did he feel when Rukia destroyed Soul Society? Most importantly, what were Rukia's children like? Since Spring Break started for my school, I finally had the time to revisit this story. Let me know what you think about continuing a look into this darker AU world.

Thanks for reading :-)

No flames!