Before you could go worrying about whatever was going on between Szayel and Grimmjow, that could have made Grimmjow stop in his tracks in a middle of an attack, you had to worry about Zoe.

Her arm was literally crushed my Grimmjow, but her face betrayed, that wasn t the only thing that was on her mind.

You touched her arm and she grimaced "Does it hurt that badly?" you asked.

She tried to laugh "I almost forgot about it."

"No you didn't, what did he say to you that caused you to make that face."

"It was nothing important." she held her arm by her side tightly and went back to your palace while you trailed a bit behind.

Zoe instantly went to the couch and laid down holding her arm with her face turned away from you.

"I know what he said to you that made you so upset. He said you would rather kiss me than him, but you haven t done that. So I m no better than Grimmjow, you haven t kissed either of us."

"I hate it when Grimmjow talks to me at all because all he wants to do is hurt Master Ulquiorra. But its funny that he would think you would even care if he kissed me at all."

"Why would you think I don't care?" you asked.

She rolled over on the couch and faced you "Do you?" she asked.

You leaned down and cuffed her chin "I do, very much so." and then kissed her very gently on the lips.

It wasn't a long kiss before she pulled back and gasped

"Whats wrong?" you asked, she touched her head

"Adrenaline, every time we touch, my head starts buzzing and my heart is pounding, and so much adrenaline." she whispered

"Then maybe we should stop." She shook her head still breathing hard Just once more. A smile crept on your lips as you kissed more than just once.

Her hand ran through your hair and down your back, her nails clawed into your shoulder, your name was on her tongue, her gasping breath sweet against your neck, her body wrapped around you.

Then you woke up to gray skies.

Your mind opened wide and you sat up in bed. The door was slightly open and a shadow moved across the frame.

You chased after it and caught Zoe just as she was about to climb out the window.

She had on a brown cloak and scarf pulled tight over her mouth, she looked like she was ready to leave.

You must have stared at her for a long time, she pulled the scarf down for just a few moments

"I was hoping I wouldn't wake you. But I wanted to say goodbye. I have to go now."

"What are you talking about? Where are you going, and why?"

She hopped down from the high window and landed a few feet away from you into the shadows. Her look became almost frightened and she looked behind you constantly at the door

"They'll be after me now, I have to leave right now."

"Who are they?" you asked still confused

"Its Grimmjow, Szayel, and Nnoitra" she said in a hushed voice

"They committed a murder, a member of the Espada. I wasn't spying on them, I promise you that. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and they saw me, no doubt they will come for me soon."

"Where do you plan to go? This is insane, I won't allow you to leave."

"I'll go somewhere far from here where I won't need to kill anyone or take orders from a foolish lord, I'm free now aren't I?"

You fumbled for her hands "It doesn't have to be like this, I will tell Lord Aizen the truth and they won't lay their hands on you, not while I'm here."

She squeezed your hand "I won't let you get involved in this, if I stay it'll be my word against theirs and Lord Aizen won't take my side. So all I can do is just leave."

She opened her dress until her hollow hole was clear, then she placed her hand over where her heart should have been, and breathed out.

When she opened her hands, she revealed a small silver rock of some sort that glittered a million colors in the moonlight.

She placed it in your hand, without asking you knew what this was, she smiled and closed her hand around it.

"I wish I had something more valuable to give, but this is all I have. It has always belonged to you."

"I want all of you."

She smiled and slipped her arms around your neck "You're the only one that I belong to, and the only one I will ever love."

"Then stay with me." you pleaded.

"If only I could. It seems like time, situation, and hierarchy will always conspire to rip us apart."

You couldn't say anything, but accepted her final kiss on your lips.

She disappeared out of the window into the night as silent as a shadow. And for a long time, you simply looked at the spot where she was last standing.

The moon faded and signaled early morning, you were about to head off to sleep, convinced when you woke up, you would see those deep blue eyes of Zoe s again. Sleep was short and not at all satisfying.

Zoe did not come back and wake you up, instead, you woke to the explosion of a Cero in a distance and the blue light that followed it, Grimmjow's Grand Rey Cero.

Before you could make any guesses about what happened and the people that might have been involved, there was a knock on your door.

At the door was Tesra, it was Nnoitra s fraccion. "What do you want?" you asked foully.

He was scared, his eyes wide and there was a twitchy motion about his body.

"Master Nnoitra has requested an audience with Lord Aizen, he wishes you to be present as well."

You sighed and breezed past him, he hobbled along slowly, trailing you like a puppy.

"Hey boy, since you are a Fraccion to that bastard, you can tell me what I need to know." you said without looking back.

"What is that Nnoitra getting at by working together with Grimmjow and Szayel?"

There was a pause and you were about to threaten him with his life if he didn't tell you, but he talked.

"It was all Szayel s idea. He approached Master Nnoitra one afternoon, and he told Master that he could get rid of Nelliel, he would help him. But they couldn't kill Nelliel without seeming like it was treason against Lord Aizen. And then Grimmjow came into the picture. It was hard to bribe him, and Szayel almost lost the deal, but he recognized that the only thing Grimmjow couldn't have was Zoe because you had her. Szayel noticed Grimmjow s weakness and he told Grimmjow that Zoe wouldn't ever be his and there was nothing he could do about it, so the only thing he could do was make sure no one could have her also. Last night, the three of them killed Nelliel and they were going to frame it on Zoe so Lord Aizen would punish her for treason."

"So that's why she ran away, theres no one to frame, what now?" you said. Tesra didn t answer this time.

You spun around to face him "Well?" he shook his head

"I don't know what happened, Master Nnoitra hasn't been back yet tonight."

"Where is he?" you asked urgently I don't know, he left with Szayel and Grimmjow. The last thing he said to me was to call you for his audience.

Then it made so much sense, you were a fool for not noticing it before.

You as the guardian of Hueco Mundo knew everything yet missed this scandal right under your nose.

You rushed to Aizen's statesroom, afraid for the first time, of what you might find there. The doors opened with more force then you intended, a loud sound that resonated throughout the room.

The room was dark as usual, but you had no trouble making out the players. Lord Aizen was seated on a slightly raised platform, with Kaname and Gin on his left and right sides, and Grimmjow, Nnoitra, and Szayel in front of him.

But yet they were not the only people in the room, the rest of the Espada had also gathered in the shadows, Barragan, Coyote, also the Espadas seven to ten.

"Ulquiorra, how nice of you to join us." Aizen remarked.

Nnoitra smirked "And I'm surprised you could show your face after your Fraccion dealt such an act of treason." He moved aside and laying in a crumpled pile on the floor was Zoe.