"Any word yet?" Sankado asked.

"I'm afraid not." Beousin said. Sankado set up a small camp in Karakura Town to monitor the Kurosaki's and incase the arrancars decided to make a reappearance. He had Beousin assist him in this, but so far, nothing has happened. They were already aware that Kali left, but there wasn't much that they could do. "Sir, what are we going to do with Kalia's parents and her little brother? They are starting to get anxious with what is happening."

"Just try and keep them calm and make sure they don't try anything." Sankado said. "The last thing we need is a form of rebellion."

"Excuse me sir." A fellow soul reaper came right in their tent. "We just received word that Kalia Kurosaki has returned to Karakura Town with a young girl. However, both of them seem to be in bad shape."

"Get her mother. We might need her healing capabilities." Sankado said.

…

Kalia

Kalia and Katie were able to make it back to Karakura Town, but barely. Also, her friends are still in Hueco Mundo and became Nnoritora's new prisoners. A few soul reapers were gathering around to help her since she was unconscious. However, it didn't stay that way because she was starting to wake up and saw she was back.

"Katie!" Kalia shouted. She got back up and got Katie in her arms. Kalia was freaking out for Katie's wellbeing since she wasn't moving or doing anything. The soul reapers that were with her tried to get her to calm down, but she wouldn't even listen. "Get out of my way. Katie needs a doctor."

"Please try to calm down. You're in just as bad condition."

"Medical help is on the way."

"There's no time to wait. Katie needs to get to a hospital now."

"Kalia!" Kalia saw her parents appear from Ichigo using Flash Step.

"Mom, Dad, Katie needs help." Kalia said as she put her down. All of them were freaking out and were scared on what was wrong with her.

"Stay with us honey." Orihime said as she used her powers and began to heal her, but something was wrong and the barrier just shattered.

"What happened? Orihime, try again." Ichigo said.

"I don't know what happened." Orihime said. They turned Katie over, but were shocked and horrified. Katie had a blank look in her eyes and there was a black chain coming out of her chest. "What is that chain?!"

"Mom, you have to keep trying." Kalia begged.

"It won't do any good." Kalia turned her head to see Sankado walk up to them.

"Captain Hensa?" Kalia said.

"I've heard of these chains, but this is the first I've seen them." Sankado said. "The black chains of Hueco Mundo. You might have saved her body, but her soul is still trapped there for those chains keep it there. That further increases her chances of her soul being devoured by a hollow or she becoming a hollow herself.

"No. There has to be something we can do!" Ichigo said as he grabbed Sankado by the collar from the frustration of there being a chance of losing her little girl. "There has to be a way to save her."

"I can help." All of them looked and saw the cloaked man walking up to them.

"Who are you?" Orihime said.

"That's the guy that saved me." Kalia said. He walked over to Katie and lifted her head up. All of them watch carefully on what he was going to do. He just took his hand and stabbed Katie right below the chain. "What are you doing?!" She and Ichigo were about to attack, but he just yanked the chain out and Sankado had a look of surprise like everyone, but he seemed to understand what happened. The chain disappeared and Katie started coughing.

"Katie!" Orihime said as she brought her powers back out and started to heal her with everyone gathering around. Katie opened her eyes and saw everyone.

"Mommy, Daddy?" Katie wondering said in a weak voice, but it was proof that her soul was free and she was alive.

"We're right here honey." Ichigo said.

"Men, cease that person!" Sankado said. All the soul reapers there grabbed the cloaked person, but Kalia didn't understand why they would take him prisoner.

"What are you doing? He just saved my sister?" Kalia said.

"Only one being can remove those chains. An arrancar." Sankado said. Kalia didn't think she would hear that.

"You're an arrancar? Who are you?" Kalia asked. All the focus was on him as they all wondered who he was.

"Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue…..it's been a long time." The cloaked man said. It was amazing he knew Orihime's maiden name, but they were both surprised.

"That voice. You couldn't be who I think you are." Ichigo said. The man reached for the hood and pulled it down. This man was pale with black hair and had two green lines running down from his eyes. "Ulquiorra!"

"Ulquiorra? You know him?" Kalia said. Ichigo's face turned into one of rage as he raced over and grabbed Ulquiorra's collar as hard as he could.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo said.

"Is that anyway to say thank you after I saved both your daughters?" Ulquiorra said. That's when Ichigo realized that he did save both of them, but it didn't make any sense to him. "You might want to get you little girl back home so she can get some rest."

"Take him away." Sankado said. The soul reapers grabbed Ulquiorra and dragged him away. What Ichigo and Orihime found perplexing is that he didn't even put up a fight.

…

The Kurosakis

After Katie was saved, she was brought back home with Kalia's injuries healed. Orihime placed in her bed and pulled the covers over her. Kenji was in the room and was really concerned about his twin.

"Mommy, is Katie going to be okay?" Kenji asked. Orihime gave a reassuring smile and placed her hand on his head.

"She's going to be fine. She just needs some rest." Orihime said. For her, that was enough because she had all three of her children safe, but also felt bad since she heard Ryo and the others are still in Hueco Mundo. She also felt complexed because she can't shake what is going on with Ulquiorra. Meanwhile, Kalia sat on the couch in the living room as she was trying to figure everything out with Gado right by her side.

"Are you okay? Deep in thought isn't really your look." Kalia looked up to see her Dad.

"I can't stop thinking about that guy. You said his name was Ulquiorra. If he's an arrrancar, why is he helping us?" Kalia said.

"I'm asking myself that." Ichigo said. That wasn't all Kalia could see. She saw there was something deeper between him and Ulquiorra, but she doesn't know what it is and figured it wasn't a good idea to push on with it. "Is there anything else bothering you?"

"It's Ryo and the other boys. They're still trapped in Hueco Mundo and who knows what's happening to them." Kalia said. "Why did he save me and not them?"

"I'm coming in." They heard the front door open and saw Beousin let himself in.

"I don't remember hearing you knocking." Ichigo said.

"I'm only hear to see if Kalia is planning anything she shouldn't do, but I couldn't help overhear." Beousin said.

"What happened to that Ulquiorra guy?" Kalia said.

"We're holding him prisoner for investigation." Beousin said. "You should be grateful that he saved you. There had to have been some reason he chose you and not the others." That's all he came to say and was about to leave.

"Wait." Kalia said and he stopped like she said. "That's it? That's all you came for."

"I never received any orders to hold you hear. Only to see if you were planning anything. You're free to do as you please." Beousin said and let himself out. Kalia fully got what he was implying. He lets out a better understanding of her wants and needs more than he lets out.

"Kalia, I know what you're up to. Don't let you guard down around him." Ichigo said knowing he couldn't stop her. He would have done the same.

….

Ulquiorra

Ulquiorra was being held in a cage that blocked him from using his spiritual powers and just sat there with a few soul reapers guarding him. He just sat there until he heard both of the soul reapers get knocked out. Ulquiorra opened his eyes and saw Kalia, in her bankai state, opened up the cage.

"Get up." Kalia said.

"Why are you here?" Ulquiorra said. "Do you need me to send you back to Hueco Mundo?"

"Yeah. Hurry up. You can explain yourself on the way up there with a few other things." Kalia said. "We don't have much time before backup shows up." Ulquiorra did just that and stepped out. When he did and opened up a garganta for them and they both jumped in the way and going back to save her friends.

….

The Garganta

Ulquiorra led the way and created path for him and Kalia to follow as they head back to Hueco Mundo. Since it was just them, Kalia thought this would be a good time to ask him some questions.

"Can I ask you something?" Kalia said.

"What is it?" Ulquiorra said.

"Let's start with what's the connection between you and my parents. They know who you are and my Dad doesn't seem to like you." Kalia said.

"Very well." Ulquiorra said. "It happened years ago. I use to be one of the Espada. Your father and I were enemies."

"Enemies?" Kalia said.

"Yes. In fact, I was ranked higher than Nnoritora." Ulquiorra said. Kalia found this interesting. "You see, I brought your mother to Hueco Mundo under the orders of our Lord Aizen. Doing that made her a traitor in the Soul Society because I gave her time to finish any business she had. Your father came to Hueco Mundo to save her. We fought and I actually succeeded in killing him."

"What?! You killed my Dad?" Kalia said.

"I did, but his hollow powers revived him and I think your mother played a role in it." Ulquiorra said. "His power outgrew mine in this new form. However, he regained himself and our fight was left unfinished because my body reduced to dust. I guess after all this time, he hasn't gotten over it."

"So you came back with those other four guys." Kalia said.

"That is correct." Ulquiorra said.

"But this doesn't understand why you're helping us." Kalia said.

"You see, there was something about your mother." Ulquiorra said.

"Wait, did he had a thing for my mother?" Kalia whispered.

"In my last moments of my life, I began to understand and see what you humans call the heart." Ulquiorra said. "It was thanks to her that I understand it. I'm helping you because you remind me of her and your father, the two people that have made the biggest impact on my life." Kalia thought that it was impressive that he's putting the past behind him to help her. He claims to understand a heart. Though she doesn't know what he means, she might find out soon enough.