Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will not ever own the right to bleach. It belongs solely to Tite Kubo.

Warning: a bit of lime in this chapter.

Chapter 14

Ichigo's eye twitched as he stared at the smiling Gin still wondering what the hell had just happened. One minute his mates (oh, how he detested that word) were all for killing the silver-haired Shinigami, and the next, they were sitting around talking like they were old friends.

"Um, question?" Ichigo spoke up from his place on the bed. "What the hell just happened?" He demanded angrily.

"We're negotiating. Snake bastard here just happens to have some valuable information. I'm surprised I didn't think of it before," Shiro answered with a shit eating grin on his face. Obviously, whatever crap Gin was sprouting made Shiro very happy. "It will move my plans up by years. Grimmjow, why don't you stay with Queeny while I finish negotiating?"

Ichigo couldn't help but wonder what plans Shiro was talking about, before deciding for the sake of his own sanity not to ask. Especially, as he figured he wouldn't get a straight answer at this point anyway. Then he groaned as he caught the next part of what was said. Why couldn't they just leave him alone for a bit? Oh yeah, because Shrio caught him walking without supervision earlier in the day, and was worried that there would be no one there for Ichigo in case he fell. He hated being lectured.

Grimmjow shrugged, giving a tired yawn in response to Shiro's demand. Taking a glance at Ichigo's cute pouting face, he decided he couldn't resist, the urge had been there since he walked in. So he leaned down, taking Ichigo's chin in his hand to stop unnecessary movement, and thoroughly kissed him.

Ichigo for his part was surprised at the sudden show of affection, and let out a muffled 'oomph' as he was swept up into the sensation of the kiss. He hated both of those bastards but he couldn't deny that his body now craved their touch. He had a feeling it had something to do with the marks they had taken great pleasure in forcing onto his soul. The pregnancy hormones probably played a part too. As to the reason why he was thinking this while being thoroughly kissed…

The moment Grimmjow kissed him, arousal had flooded his body, and now he was horny and couldn't do a damn thing about it. At this rate he was going to quickly become a sex addict. He shuddered at the thought. The need had been slowly creeping in, the need to fuck. He hated it, despised the way his thoughts were turning.

"Hey, Shiro," he called to the retreating figure as he pulled away from Grimmjow kiss. "I want lunch, and Cherry flavored soda. Don't bother coming back to this room without the second item. Oh and fuck off!" He added as an afterthought.

Shiro turned and gave him a calculating look, before grinning widely at Ichigo, knowing exactly what Ichigo was referring to. "Later I promise." Then he closed the door behind him. "Have fun with Grimm-kitty," was heard through the doors.

Ichigo huffed, and Grimmjow snorted in amusement then kissed him again. "You're delicious, Strawberry. I could just eat you up." The words caused a flare of unfamiliar fire to course through his body. He blushed as he felt himself harden at Grimmjow's touch. He hated the way his body responded to sexual contact, hated what their touch could do to him.

Grimmjow pulled back grinning like a loon. "It seems someone likes this. Are you done denying your attraction to the two of us, your need of this?"

Ichigo yelped as Grimmjow took hold of his hardness through the white hakamas he had been forced to wear. "Don't touch me!" Ichigo hissed jerking back into the pillows. Hell no, he was going to keep denying it until his body literally couldn't take any more of the pleasurable sensations.

Grimmjow sighed and backed off. He shifted so he was lying beside Ichigo. "You know you should let me get you off. It'll only going to result in pain for you otherwise."

Ichigo only heard part of what he was saying, amazed that Grimmjow had backed off at all. He knew very well that if it were Shiro with him now, it would have been a different situation all together. Shiro wouldn't have stopped, and because Grimmjow did, Ichigo felt an odd sort of affection starting to form. He didn't like Grimmjow, but he didn't quite hate him anymore. He was starting just to feel indifferent to Grimmjow's presence anyway, this new respect just pushed it forward faster.

Grimmjow chuckled at his star struck look. Ichigo was just so adorable, with that look of thoughtful confusion. He knew he wouldn't understand why he backed off at his request, but he had his reasons. He wasn't born a hollow after all, not like Shiro who grew up with the morals of Hueco Mundo engraved into his very soul. Losing his sisters probably didn't help his fragile mindset.

"Why did you back off? Shiro wouldn't have," Ichigo asked turning a penetrating stare towards Grimmjow.

Grimmjow snorted. "I have more honor than that. The first time it was necessary, the bond had to be closed or you would have slowly withered away until you became a hollow. You can hate me for that all you want, I will even admit I deserve it, I know what rape can do to a human, it is one of the only memories I have left from my life. However, I will not apologize for taking a necessary action. I like the Ichigo you are now, not the pale imitation you could have possibly become."

Ichigo paled with each word of Grimmjow's explanation. "I could have become a hollow?" He whimpered his hand immediately going to his stomach. "Why…because he ate part of my soul?" Tears suddenly began to fall from Ichigo's eyes.

Grimmjow jerked back wide eyed at the sudden outburst of tears then attempted to calm him. "Hey now, Strawberry, don't cry. Please, don't cry. I don't know how to deal with that. Please don't cry!" Grimmjow's voice went to a high pitch in his desperation.

"It's not fair! Why the fuck does all this shit happen to me? I hate my fucking life!" Ichigo tried to get up, so he could pace angrily while ranting, but fell short as he was still weak, so settled for dramatically flinging his arms. "Oh wait! I'm dead now, but does anyone think to tell me before it was too late? Nooooo! 'Oh, Ichigo, my darling son," he mocked his dad, "I hope that you never find out that in order to become a shinigami you actually had to die.' Fucking Oyaji!" He angrily hit a pillow before suddenly deflating and asking in a broken tone, "Kami, why the hell is my life so fucking messed up?"

Grimmjow for his part was surprised at Ichigo's breakdown. He was even more surprised when Ichigo lunged at him wrapping his arms around his chest and crying into his shoulder. Hesitantly Grimmjow patted his shoulder in somewhat of a comforting gesture.

"Shhh, it okay, it will be alright!"

"It's not fair." Ichigo mumbled and sniffled.

Grimmjow sighed, now rubbing comforting circle on Ichigo back. He continued to do so until the sobs quieted and Ichigo's breathing evened signifying sleep. It seemed that Ichigo had been pushed just a bit too far, and he supposed that he and Shiro had pushed for too much too quickly. Being raped three times, and getting pregnant from it, then get kidnapped and held against his will, add going through Transition on top of all that, Grimmjow found himself surprised that Ichigo hadn't snapped sooner.

He was brought out of his musings with Shiro entered the room.

"How's Ichigo?" He asked, noting the tear tracks on his sleeping face.

"He had a little breakdown. I'm actually surprised he hasn't had one sooner. The mind can only take so much before it snaps under pressure."

"It's strange. I actually feel a sense of affection towards him. I don't love him, but it's very close. I probably would have loved him if I was capable of the emotion." Shiro said after a long silence, watching Ichigo with affection and devotion that was very clear to Grimmjow.

"Who says you aren't? Cause I'm pretty sure it's love I feel." Grimmjow's voice was so low that Shiro had to strain to actually hear the sentence spoken. "I just don't like dealing with that damn emotion."

"I was born an arrancar, Grimmjow. I don't have those lingering emotions from being alive. I can't love. I wasn't born with the ability."

"Bullshit!" Grimmjow whispered softly shifting Ichigo into a more comfortable position. "You don't see it, but you're more human, than those that once were. Your emotions are purer than those whom forgot the memories of their human lives in order to survive here. Look at him, and honestly tell me that you don't have the ability to love him."

Shiro looked. Really looked. His chest hurt, it felt like someone had stabbed him repeatedly. Could he actually love Ichigo? He honestly didn't believe so. He was a hollow, so it wasn't possible, right? Finally, after a long silence, he whispered, "I honestly don't know. Perhaps it's possible. I feel regret that I've caused him so much suffering, and I owed him my life. I know I at least care for him, but love, Grimmjow? I honestly don't know. I wish I did."

Grimmjow gave a long suffering sigh. "Come here, let's snuggle with our strawberry and get some sleep, then you can tell me what went on with Gin."

Shiro grinned, crawling under the covers quiet happily. Perhaps this time he could go to sleep without dreaming memories… he shot up as the thought occurred to him. Was he passing his memories subconsciously to Ichigo through the mark? If so then…

"Shiro whatever you're worrying about can wait till tomorrow, for now get some sleep. You're developing bags under your eyes."

Laying back down in answer, he mused that if Ichigo ended up dreaming what he dreamed, then that would prove his theory. So he closed his eyes and let sleep take him. He really needed a good night's sleep.

I

Orihime honestly didn't know how it happened. She didn't love him, but she wouldn't deny that she potentially could, and she couldn't deny that she found him attractive. She shifted bringing the sheets up to cover her bare chest. Perhaps it was loneliness that drove her to seek comfort in his arms. She hadn't seen Ichigo yet, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel him, and she remembered him screams echoing ominously bouncing off the walls.

She loved Kurosaki Ichigo, not Ulquiorra Ciffer, so why did she sleep with him? Especially so soon after hearing Ichigo's heart wrenching cries of pain. Perhaps those cries were the reason she turned to the stoic Arrancar as a way to forget the agony that linger in her heart from being helpless to do anything that could help Ichigo.

"Onna," the voice was devoid of any telling emotions, "Your morning meal will be here soon, after you eat I will escort you around Las Noches if you so desire."

His eyes avoided looking into her own, so she reached up to make him look at her, wincing at the sudden pain on her shoulder. "You… bit me?" Her words relayed her confusion. Then the Stoic Ulquiorra did something that surprised her - he flinched.

"You don't understand what happened last night, do you?" He sounded like his heart had just been ripped out, then he straightened up. "Very well, I suppose it's to be expected, you're only human, but now you're my human. I don't expect you to understand this concept yet, but you will very soon." And with those parting words he was gone leaving a very stunned Orihime.

"Wha?"

Why did if feel like she had just gotten into something much bigger than simple sex?

II

Once a week Juushiro and Shunsui got together to drink sake, talk about their woes, and gossip like teenage girls. This week's topic of discussion was one Kurosaki Isshin, and his son.

"So the little bastard's still alive, huh?" Shunsui commented angrily. "I've missed that damn brat, god it hurt when I was told he was dead. Still, it seems he has made quite a life in the living world. And now it seems us Shinigami have caused to fall apart around him."

Juushiro was quiet, then slowly. "I don't think Ichigo's dead."

"And why not? I doubt Isshin would lie about that… Unless..." Shunsui trailed off as a thought occurred to him. "Central 46."

It was a statement. They both knew very well that their central government was run by nobles who looked down upon those who was not a part of their vision. Isshin was tolerated, being the Captain Commander's son, and a strong Shinigami. They still hated him for who his mother was - a worthless nobody in comparison to their noble blood.

Isshin had loved his mother dearly, and he could see the looks she received, and then she was assassinated, and everyone knew it was Central 46 that sent the assassins. They knew of the mutual hate between Isshin and Central 46. They couldn't touch Isshin wary of his father's ire if he came to harm, nor his daughters as they were of the living, but Ichigo was in the realm of their influence, he was vulnerable to the power wielded by Central 46, but they couldn't touch him if he was already dead.

"I believe so. Even though it is a new generation taking the stands, Isshin will never trust Soul Society's government after what happened to his mother. His daughters are safe until the day they die a mortal's death, his son is not. And bringing his own self out of hiding makes him a target to focus on. This way he is shielding his children. The idiot." Juushiro bit out the last bit affectionately. He knew of Yamamoto's ruling resulting in the fact that Central 46 would be unable to decide Isshin's punishment for desertion, and illegally living in the living world, and the worst crime of all in Central 46's eyes, the old ones' anyways - producing offspring with a human.

"Well, the best we can do is wish the little brat luck. He's all grown up now with brats of his own, although…" Shunsui said cracking a bitter smile. "I kind of miss him following me around, and clinging to my knee like a lost puppy."

Juushiro laughed, agreeing full heartedly at the memories of a child Isshin.

"I feel so old now," he mused.

Shunsui closed his eyes and replied. "Well, twenty two hundred year is pretty old, and you do have white hair.'

Juushiro huffed, then sighed, used to Shunsui antics. "So it is."

III

Noriykoi: I finished a chapter in less then a week. What the hell. Okay who spiked my caffeine?

Grimmjow: Nori, no one touched your god damned drink, although that show me and Shiro gave may have helped get the creative juices going.

Ichigo: Do you have to remind me? I was watching too.

Shiro: Yes, you should joins us next time Ichigo, instead of just watching.

Noriykoi: Guys stop hinting at the next chapter, you bastards. Sorry Mist, these three love to torment me.

Mist_shadow (raises her head off the sheets of paper with red markings all over): huh? Did you say something? Ichigo, lay off the soda, it's not good for the babies. (goes back to marking)