Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, there would be an episode where Rukia discovered ByaRen fan fiction, decided that they were perfect for each other and enlisted the help of the SWA to get them together… Oh, the chaos that would ensue.

Listening to: The Red Paintings – 'Walls'.

R and R, y'all.

Chapter 14

As Ulquiorra opened his eyes the next morning he realised that the reason he'd been having trouble breathing was that his face appeared to be embedded in a lot of wavy green hair. His second epiphany involved realising that the hair belonged to one Neliel Tu Oderschvank, who he was currently holding as she slept. A tiny smile flashed across his face as he recalled exactly what had got him there in the first place.

Well, that was… unexpected, to say the least. But not unwelcome…

Carefully sitting up, he removed his arm from around her waist and leaned forward to delicately brush her hair back from her face to behind her ears. She stirred, but did not wake, snuggling closer into her pillow with a contented smile on her face.

No. Certainly not unwelcome. If anything, Orihime would point out that I'd finally learned to be happy. And she would be right.

I am actually happy.

His smile widened as he shifted away, not wanting to wake her. She looked so peaceful asleep; so calm in comparison to her usual animated self, and he found that he rather liked this side of her as well. Getting up, he located the clothing he had discarded the previous night and dressed quickly before walking toward the window, pulling back the curtain to reveal the sun slowly climbing above the horizon. He heard Neliel mumble something incoherent in her sleep as she changed her sleeping position, turned to check on her and stopped, his heart suddenly beating far too fast.

In the soft gold dawn light her skin seemed to glow almost rosy, in contrast to her cool, green hair as it spilled over the pillows. She was clutching the blanket so that it covered and clung to most of her top half, but the majority of her long, slim legs were left exposed. The sight was breathtakingly beautiful, Ulquiorra decided, before smiling wryly.

Then again, I always think her beautiful, so this is hardly new. As lovely as the view is however, it is winter and she should be better covered.

Walking back toward the bed, he tentatively manoeuvred the blanket so that she was now entirely under it. Satisfied, he checked the time. One of them was supposed to drop by the Shoten every morning to check if any further orders had come through and, while today was technically Neliel's turn, he was hesitant to wake her when he was already dressed and could easily do it himself. Besides, he couldn't help but think that, since they had both been up for a large portion of the night, she at least could sleep in. Better yet, if there were no additional orders and things continued to stay as quiet as they had been, they could have the whole day to themselves… Yes, he rather liked this plan. Strapping Murcielago to his side, he went back once more to the bed, leaning forward to brush a gentle kiss to her temple and breathe in her scent. Reluctantly he stood up once more and strode toward the window, disappearing in a burst of sonido.

xXx

Nel was not a morning person unless coffee was involved. To say that she woke up slowly would be roughly the equivalent of saying that Kenpachi loved indiscriminate violence – it was a simple and undeniable truth. Today was no exception, as she slowly drifted in and out of consciousness, remembering what happened the night before and smiling to herself as she reached out for Ulquiorra.

Who wasn't there.

Still fairly groggy, Nel's eyes sprang open as she stared at the all too empty expanse of bed next to her.

Oh no. No. This can't be happening.

Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she cast her senses out to see if she could feel his presence in the house.

Maybe it's not what you think. I mean, he could be making breakfast. Someone has to, and he knows if it was left to me we'd be existing on ramen and those pop tart things he refuses to eat. Or maybe…

He's just not here.

She wouldn't have called herself an expert on male behaviour, but she'd read enough of the copies of Cosmopolitan that Ran smuggled into the Seireitei to know one fairly basic fact. Waking up in an empty bed after sex meant that the other party considered it a mistake, which meant in turn that Ulquiorra thought last night was –

Don't think about it. If I think about it, I'll cry. I'm a big girl, with a big fucking surname to match. I can handle this. We'll both call it a mistake, we can acknowledge that and move past it and continue to work as a captain and lieutenant and I'll just forget how much it meant to me.

Oh Kami, I really want to cry.

As tempting as it was to lie back down and have a minor breakdown, the last place she wanted to be was in a bed that still smelt of him. Finding her clothes and dressing swiftly, she left her bedroom to find her gigai, which was still on the couch where she had left it last night.

Don't think about last night either. Just focus on… Coffee. That's it. Everything is better with coffee. Coffee doesn't make you think your feelings are mutual and that you have a chance with it only to ditch you the morning after.

I'm fucking pathetic.

She switched the coffee machine on, wiping away tears she refused to believe she was crying as they trickled down her cheeks. It was almost a relief when her communicator started to beep, indicating the presence of a hollow. With a last sniff, she picked up Gamuza.

Fuck it. I need to go kill something or… just do something to take my mind off this. Off him. I need some sort of emotional outlet before he sits me down to have the 'I'm sure we can get over this and continue to work together productively' talk. I can scream, cry and beat the crap out of whatever class of hollow this is and then I'll be calm. It might even stop hurting so fucking much.

Who am I kidding? Better living through denial, that's me.

Taking a deep breath and fighting to stop it turning into a sob, she strapped Gamuza to her waist and disappeared.

xXx

Ulquiorra was ready to leave the Shoten by the time he was alerted to the presence of a hollow nearby, and could instantly feel when Neliel left their apartment to chase it down. He was disappointed that she hadn't gotten to sleep in despite his efforts, but something else was bothering him about the reiatsu he felt, though he couldn't quite place it.

"Does this hollow feel… odd to you?"

Jinta looked up from the porch he was sweeping. "Not really", he replied with a shrug, "they all feel odd. They're all a 'disturbance in the force'."

Ulquiorra smiled slightly in reply. "Nel taught you that one?"

Jinta grinned back. "Nah, seen the film. Still, she hit the nail on the head – that's exactly how they feel to anyone with a bit of spiritual awareness."

"Hmmm." Ulquiorra stared off into the distance. He could sense that the two spiritual pressures – Neliel's and the hollow's – had now collided and were doing battle. It should be fairly one-sided, and yet –

"Actually, I can feel what you mean." Ururu's soft voice piped up from just inside the shop where she was arranging the merchandise. She trotted out now to join them on the front step. "It is a little odd. I think I've felt something similar before, though."

Jinta snorted. "The hell you'd know. It's nothing, just a small fry hollow. Nel won't even have to release her zanpakto."

Before the war Ururu might have quailed at this, but not so now. "Well, I am better at sensing these sort of things, so in fact – yes, I would know. Stick to what you can grasp Jinta, and keep sweeping."

Pointing the broom at her, he warned, "I'm not afraid not use it, you know."

With a smile and a shake of her head she walked past him to join Ulquiorra as he gazed out in the direction of the fight, a small frown on his face. Softly she added, "It reminds me of a captain's reiatsu when they're hiding. It feels suppressed."

Turning to her, Ulquiorra's frown deepened. "They would have to have a fairly impressive reiatsu to need to hide it. It's also very difficult to conceal your true power, thus making whoever is capable of doing so a fairly powerful creature. These are hardly the traits of the average hollow."

Suddenly, it was as if the spiritual world had shifted. The reiatsu that had felt so strange before was gone, and in its place was one that felt slightly similar, only infinitely more powerful. Ulquiorra's eyes widened.

I have felt something like this before, in Hueco Mundo…

Beside him, Ururu looked ready to spring into action. "Well Ulquiorra-san, they might not be the traits of your average hollow, but I'd say that fits your average vasto lorde." She turned to him but he was already gone. "Well then, at least she'll have back up. Jinta, time to contact the Fourth. Nothing that involves a vasto lorde ever ends well."

xXx

Cold fear and panic seemed to smother Ulquiorra as he used sonido as fast as he possibly could, leaping across the rooftops.

I know she's strong, and I know that she is more than capable in most situations, but this creature is just as powerful as she is, and possibly more so. She should not face this alone. She cannot.

I can't let anything happen to her. I won't.

Blind to everything else, he followed the trail of her spiritual pressure, his heart beating erratically as he felt her release her zanpakto.

xXx

There was a time to recognise that you were in deep shit and this, Nel knew, was it. It had seemed so simple when the fight began, a captain of the Gotei 13 against a typical hollow, until it had abruptly transformed into the very creature that she and Ulquiorra had remained behind to search for.

Damn it, don't think of him. I'm getting my ass handed to me as it is, I don't need to be distracted.

Though it sure would be nice if someone came along to help right about now.

Dodging yet another cero blast from her opponent Nel galloped down a deserted street, grateful from the stability that the four feet of her release form gave her.

Bad enough I'm getting my ass handed to me without falling on it as well.

She knew she was screwed. She'd thrown everything she had at this thing and it'd had taken it all. Sure, it was moving a little slower, and limping thanks to the muscle she had tried to sever in its leg, but the long sharp spikes that extended from its armshad left their marks on her too, and she was far weaker for it. Turning to face it once more, she swallowed the next cero it threw, before returning fire.

And then some. See if the bastard likes that.

The vasto lorde dodged, but not before her cero doble had scorched off a portion of the masked face and one of the dangerously spiked arms. Its eyes narrowed as it spoke. "You will pay for that, little captainess. A traitor to your own kind, that is all you are. There is nothing more disgusting."

"Actually, I'd say the charred flesh smell your face is giving off right about now is worse, but that could just be me." Sometimes, Nel decided, it was worth having the last word. Especially when it could be your last word.

With a snarl it launched itself at her, slashing the air between them with the jagged bones that grew from its arms. Leaping forward herself, Nel blocked them with Gamuza, slashing back and scoring a line on the being across its torso. All of a sudden, she could feel the approach of a familiar spiritual presence.

Help at last. Shame he wants nothing to do with me.

Sensing her distraction, the vasto lorde struck, slashing the spikes across her stomach as it threw her into the wall of the nearest building. The world went black briefly for Nel as she felt herself slip out of release form, until she struggled back to her feet, only to see her zanpakto in the grasp of her enemy.

Oh Kami. This is it. I didn't want to go out this way. I was kind of hoping to retire and die in my sleep a few thousand years from now. Then again, I was kind of hoping for something to come of sleeping with Ulquiorra. At least I got to do that. I guess this way no one gets burdened by feelings…

Still, I'd like to see him again. Just once.

Hatred apparent on its face, the vasto lorde walked toward her, her own blade aimed at her chest. "Tell me, little traitoress, why? Why abandon your own kind and join with that scum?"

Last words, so make them good.

Defiance in her face, Nel lifted her head to stare down her opponent, before smiling wryly.

"What can I say? They have better dental."

She closed her eyes and waited for the killing blow.

It didn't come. Something warm, wet and smelling like blood dripped onto her face. She opened her eyes to find Gamuza speared through a very familiar someone who had managed to get between her and her imminent death.

"Ulquiorra…" She whispered, horrified as his blood trickled onto the pavement.

Fury seemed to radiate from him as he drew Murcielago from its sheath with one hand, the other locked on the vasto lorde's own arm as it thrust Gamuza through his stomach. So quickly that she almost missed it, he severed the arm holding the sword that had impaled him and pulled the weapon out of his body, only to stab it back through the vasto lorde as the creature howled in agony. His voice harsh, he ground out through the pain, "You really shouldn't have hurt her." The vasto lorde's eyes barely had time to widen in shock before Ulquiorra swung Murcielago in an arc and decapitated it smoothly, leaving it to disintegrate as he fell to his knees.

With a gasp, Nel scrambled up onto her feet properly and caught him before his head hit the ground, examining his wound as she placed him considerably more gently on the pavement. She swore as the tears that had threatened to fall all morning started to trickle down her cheeks.

"Shit. You idiot, I can't heal this. I can't - " She choked off with a sob as she slid off her captain's haori to stem the blood flow.

"It's alright. I do heal myself, if given time." He stared at his stomach as it continued to spurt blood unrelentingly. "On the other hand, there are a few vital organs in my stomach and that could present a problem." He was starting to feel weak, which was not a sensation he enjoyed. It was as though someone had hit a dimmer switch and the world was fading out. "Never mind, Jinta and Ururu were calling the Fourth when I left. It shouldn't be long." She was still crying though, and he hated seeing it. It might be gratifying to know that she obviously cared for him on some level, but not if it caused her pain. He wanted to explain this, but everything was just so damn hard. He could barely keep his eyes open as he watched Neliel frantically try to stop him bleeding. If he tried, he could feel the spiritual pressure of the captain of the Fourth approach, but it was getting more and more difficult. Neliel was muttering about things being her fault, and he had no intention of letting her take all the blame. He had just panicked, seeing her with her own zanpakto poised to kill her, and had done the most basic thing he could to stop it. He needed to tell her this, she was just the type to beat herself up about it unless he explained that he was equally at fault.

But he didn't. All he had the strength to do was lie there and bleed as he whispered the last few words that were in his head before darkness claimed him.

"It was worth it… Neliel."

xXx

My God, I'm evil. Tehehe. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say reviews make me write faster, but they are awful encouraging… hintcoughhint.