The next morning Ulquiorra slowly awoke, at first a little disorientated as to where he was. The room was as white as his bedroom was, but it smelled different and there was something warm and soft pressed up against him. He looked down at Orihime asleep in his arms. He ever so slightly smiled at the sight of her and then just laid there breathing in her scent, waiting for her to wake up. And at last she did. She stirred and looked up at him and then smiled brightly.
"Ul...Ulquiorra..."she yawned, still smiling at him.
Ulquiorra was reluctant to let go of her warmth, but he knew he had to get up and get back to his own rooms before he was missed. "I have to go now, Orihime, but I will see you soon when I bring your breakfast."
"Ok..." she mumbled disappointedly and untangled herself from his embrace. "You know, I think I warmed you up a little sleeping with you all night. You feel more like a spring day now instead of a winter one."
Ulquiorra didn't know what to say about that so he just got up and pulled on his boots. Then he went to the door, opened it and left her room. He got back to his own rooms not a moment too soon. Just as soon as he sat down at his table, a knock came at his door.
"Enter." Ulquiorra said.
"Aizen-sama has called an emergency meeting, Numero Cuatro. He requests your presence immediately." said the servant bowing.
"Ok." Ulquiorra said and then left the room.
Once he was in the meeting room he quietly sat down at the long table and patiently waited for Aizen-sama. The other Espada noisily came in and took their seats, eager to see what Aizen needed them for.
Soon Aizen, Gin and Tousen approached the table and the arrancar all quieted down.
"Welcome. I have very interesting and important news for you all today. It seems that the human girl that we kidnapped has some pretty foolish friends. They have now entered Hueco Mundo and are going to attempt to rescue her." Aizen said and the table erupted into chatter at that news.
So they are finally coming to get her, Ulquiorra thought to himself. His heart felt funny at that thought and he had to reassure himself that they were against impossible odds; there was no way that they would be able to take her from the palace.
"Quiet please." Aizen quietly said and the din died down. "Now they are indeed foolish to think they can stand up to the likes of us, but we would be foolish to underestimate them. These are the same kids that caused such an uproar in Soul Society. I want you all to just return to your rooms and patiently wait for my instructions."
"That's bullshit!" came an angry cry from Grimmjow. "Why should we have to wait around for their little punkasses? I'm going to go settle my debt with that fake shinigami now!" he spat getting up from his seat.
"Grimmjow." Aizen said with deadly calmness. "I would like you to take your seat again, please." Grimmjow just glared at their leader for a moment and then suddenly he dropped to his knees, eyes bulging from his face. He put his hands around his throat and gestured faintly. "Your seat, please." Aizen said again, a picture of calm and quiet. Grimmjow struggled desperately into his seat, his face rapidly turning purple. "Thank you, Grimmjow." Aizen said and then turned his attention to the rest of the Espada. Ulquiorra could hear Grimmjow gasping and wheezing across from him, able to fill his lungs again.
"Ulquiorra, you can still bring the girl her breakfast. The rest of you though, go to your rooms and remain there until I call upon you." And with that Aizen rose and gestured all the other Espada to do the same. "As long as we stand together there will be no enemy that can defeat us!"
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Orihime was starting to get worried about Ulquiorra. He was late with her breakfast today and that wasn't like him. He was the most punctual being she had ever met. She worriedly wondered if he regretted staying the night with her and was now having second thoughts about whether he liked her or not.
Then finally she heard the familiar squeaky wheels of the cart and a second later the door opened and he was before her. "Sorry I am late, Orihime. Aizen called an emergency meeting." he said and then turned to the servant. "Leave us now."
As the servant left and closed the door Orihime asked, "What about?" She would never have dared to ask him such a thing even a week ago, but so much had changed in the past week.
She felt him looking at her and then he said, "Your friends are coming to get you."
"Oh..." she breathed and then she felt her heart do crazy tumbles through excitement, relief, and sadness. She could feel the weight of his eyes on her, measuring her response down to the slightest twitch of her mouth.
After a moment of staring at her he suddenly said with all his former coldness, "It doesn't matter though. You belong to us, Orihime...body, mind and soul! You are still Aizen-sama's to do with what he will. I want to hear you say it!"
She could feel tears welling in her eyes at his sudden cold anger and she trembling shouted, "All that I have belongs to Aizen-sama and his ambition!" She then turned her face away from him and looked out of the barred window wondering where exactly her friends were.
"Very good, Orihime. And don't ever forget that either. Now eat." he said pushing a tray on her. She took it soundlessly and sat down at her table and slowly began to eat. Were they right back to the beginning again? she wondered. She was scared to look up at him and she thought that she must have had the truth of it last night. He was a hollow, a being of pure evil and there wasn't anything she could do to change that fact. Suddenly she desperately wished for Ichigo to come and get her and take her back home where things made sense.