Here it is, I do hope someone is waiting with anxious anticipation! I want to give a big thank you to Chaos086 for the favorite story add, LadyKatie8190 for her support, Viera for the encouragement, and fuzzibunniez for just being awesome. You guys are keeping me going! Enjoy!

I do not own Bleach and I also don't have the rights to any song by the bands mentioned, or the bands themselves, I just like them. (Don't sue me! You should be flattered that I'm giving you free publicity and like your music! LOL!)

Chapter 14

Coming Clean

Mirella

I stared out into the void, watching the embers fade. I reminisced on our conversation, cut short when I got angry. I thought surely something was changing since I had been so incredibly… happy. A full month of having Grimmjow as more than just my protector, but my love, making friends with Halibel and Starrk, and actually liking where I was. The sorrow she promised seemed so distant, only for her to say that nothing had changed. Nothing?? Sorrow was still eminent and everyone still had to die.

A knock on the door jarred me out of my reverie. I hid the sadness that was showing itself again in my heart and, with a smirk, called out, "Here kitty, kitty!"

I watched as Grimmjow finished rolling his eyes as he walked through our door. "You know I hate it when you call me that," he said dryly.

I giggled as I stood and walked toward him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "That's why you love me though!"

Grimmjow wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. I could hear the smile in his voice as head told me, "Yes, that's why I love you." I leaned into his chest hearing the faint heart beat that sounded there now. "Mmmm," I heard him groan as I ground I closer to him, "You know I came to get you for dinner, right?"

"Aww, can't Aizen wait?"

"Actually he apparently has an announcement, so we probably need to be there," he half sighed out, as I looped my thumbs through his waist band.

"Alright then," I said as I shrugged. I dragged my hands softly across his already half erect package before dropping them and pushing him away. I walked toward my shoes at the back of the room, turning my back on the vewwy angwy puddy tat behind me.

Before I could blink Grimmjow had shed his pants, shoved me against the wall, and roughly inserted himself into me and begun to take me… again. I raked my finger nails down his back and heard the deep sexy growl come from his chest as I kissed his neck and began to enjoy the feel of him, as if it were the first time all over again…

Twenty very loud minutes later Grimmjow sonido'd into the dining room screeching to a halt just before slamming into the table. Halibel and Starrk laughed silently to themselves at our blunt arrival and disheveled looks. Aizen sat, silently glaring at us until we sat down.

"What part of announcement don't you two seem to understand?" Aizen asked sourly.

I put on my best kiss-my-ass smile, "It interfered with my happiness for a moment, Aiiizen-saamaa. But by all means, do not let me delay you any further."

I felt Grimmjow silently shaking neat to me and heard a slight snort ring out from somewhere else down the table as Aizen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to drown out his hate of my influence on the Espada. I only like to bring fun, what's wrong with that?

"My announcement is that there is to be a reconnaissance and possible hit mission," Aizen began deliberately. "The Shinigami Women's Association is having a beach trip. There will be many captains and vice captains present and could prove a good opportunity to gather information or take out some key players. Ulquiorra will lead the mission, taking Grimmjow with him. They will depart first thing in the morning and return tomorrow or the next morning depending on their status."

Aizen looked at me steadily, and I looked back unblinking. Grimmjow did not share my reserve. "What do you mean I have to go? I have a job here already," he spat at Aizen.

"I'm sure she can take care of herself by this point," Aizen said with a condescending tone.

I watched Grimmjow's eye twitch in irritation and set my hand on his forearm. "It's ok Grimmjow, I'll spend the day with Halibel. We'll be safe. And I did promise Aizen I wouldn't interfere with his plans."

Grimmjow looked down at me and then flopped into his seat. "Fine, I'll go."

"Good, you may finish your dinner," Aizen said over his shoulder as he swept out of the room.

I plowed through the food, not even noticing what it was. The food is so good here. Thank god I've been working my ass off every day, or I would not be a pretty sight right now. I giggled to myself at the thought, earning a sideways glance form Grimmjow. I shook my head with a smile and he went back to his food. I loaded up a second plate and spotted Nnoitra down the table.

What was wrong with him? He was smiling. Like, really smiling. As if his greatest dream had come true. That boy is a fucking whack job. If there was anyone I would be scared of, it would be him. He oozes disdain every time he turns my way, making me literally sick to my stomach.

Dinner finished quickly and Halibel agreed to meet me in the dining room after Grimmjow and Ulquiorra departed at breakfast time. This seemed to smooth Grimmjow's fur back down and we headed to our rooms.

We walked into my room and I turned on my radio, laughing at Grimmjow's expression when Dark Tranquility came blaring through my speakers. I never pegged him as a guy who wouldn't like metal, but sure enough he hated it. I switched the CD to The Used, rock we could both agree on. I turned the volume down so that we could talk without yelling and walked up to him, gently twining my arms around his waist.

"Don't you think you wore me out earlier?" He said gently, hiding his chuckle.

"I don't want sex tonight, Grimmjow," I said looking in to his gorgeous deep blue eyes. That sapphire had quickly become my favorite color. "I want you to sleep with me tonight."

He looked at me, scrutinizing my expression. "Why didn't you ask me earlier?"

As usual, he found the true question that would only earn a long,and painfully truthful answer. I took a deep breath and told him a secret I hadn't told anyone. "I was engaged to a guy, and he slept with me. Don't get me wrong, our sex is amazing, but sometimes just falling asleep being held by the guy you love is the epitome of happiness. After he moved in, things went downhill. He ended up choosing drugs over me and he told me that the worst thing about our relationship was my want to sleep next to him. Said that I was clingy at home," I could hear my voice begin to crack and took a deep breath to continue. "He said that I wasn't worth the effort, the engagement was off, and thank you for opening his eyes to how terrible I really was for him."

Grimmjow looked down at me and pressed my head against his chest. "If you can bring me this, anything resembling life and love when I haven't had either in so long… How could I want to leave you? How could I ever hurt you?"

I felt the tears well up in my eyes, batting my eyelids to make them go away. My resolve broke when Grimmjow nearly purred into my ear, "I know you have been hurt, go ahead and cry about it. You have the right to." The tears finally overflowed their rims. "I would be honored to sleep in your bed, Mirella," he continued to purr, "and I am so lucky that you trust me enough to try again."

The tears fell freely now, as I cried about what I had lost. The boyfriend, my parents, my friends, and even myself; they all let go. I clutched Grimmjow, knowing that he was my anchor. I held on for dear life as the torrents of sorrow crashed over me, finally washing away the years of pain he had no idea about yet.

When my sobs turned into whimpers, he pulled away and brushed away the remainder of the tears with his thumb. I must look awful… yet, he still looks at me like that. I felt that glimmer of happiness come back, even stronger now for the purging of old emotions that I had just completed. I sighed and steped away.

"I'm sorry, Grimmjow," I said, finally completely calm. "Thank you for that, though."

"Well, it isn't the first time you cried on me, you know."

I smiled sheepishly. "Well, hopefully it's the last."

"You need rest we've been working out a lot lately." This he said with a wink. "Get in your pajamas, I'll be back in a second."

I obediently nodded and walked over to my wardrobe. I toyed with the idea of wearing a sexy negligee, but even I knew that could lead further, and I desperately needed sleep. Not to mention the round we had before dinner. And when we woke up.

I giggled to myself at the thought as I finally found what I was looking for. The over sized t-shirt he had given me my first night in Las Noches. It hung nearly to my knees, but no longer smelled like him. That would get fixed tonight.

I climbed into my bed, very happy I had gotten a queen sized one. A few seconds later Grimmjow walked in the door in a pair of pajama pants, , showing off his amazing upper body. I nearly gasped at his perfection. That's when I noticed something…

"What happened to your hollow hole?"

"Huh?" He looked down at his abdomen. "What do you mean, what happened, it's right here I left it." I laughed at his candidness.

"How large do you think your hole is?"

"It covers nearly my entire stomach, so what?" He seemed to be getting antsy, so I decided to show him what I meant.

I got out of bed and walked to the cheval mirror on the far wall. "Come here." He came up next to me and looked at our reflection.

"You are beautiful, especially in my t-shirt." He said playfully.

"Thank you, baby, but I didn't bring you here to look at me," I remarked dryly. I moved him in front of me, front and center in the mirror. "Look at you. What do you see?"

"I see a fool who has no idea what to look for here," He answered half jokingly.

"I see a good man. I see eyes that absorb me when they look at me. I see intuition that gives you an insight on me that no one else has. I see a tough veneer, but a soft side that's no more harmful then my moo-cat. I see hands that are as gentle as they are lethal." I placed my hands on the sides of his waist. "Right now I see a man who is beating what nature chose for him. You have a heartbeat now and I think it is effecting you more than you know."

I reached over and grabbed a large sketchbook, showing him a drawing I did when he was enjoying a siesta. I held it next to him now. His eyes widened as he finally saw what I was referring to. He ran an amazed hand over his slowly mending abs. His hollow hole was only about 3 inches across compared to his original 7 inches or so.

"How did you do this?" He asked.

"I didn't," I told him honestly. "I wish I had, talk about something to brag on! I think you did it for yourself."

He blinked and looked at me with intensity. "I haven't changed anything, except you… You did this."

"Are you mad at me?" I asked meekly, seeing his brows furrowing together.

"No, I'm not mad at you," He choked out, immediately softening his expression. "I have only hoped for something like this. He smiled own at me, a genuine smile. Not his typical smirk, but a truly happy smile. I returned it, watching the amber reflection in his eyes as embers floated around me as if on puppet strings.

I closed my expression (learned how after I smiled at Starrk and he told me he loved me) knowing it could get overwhelming.

He shook his head, as if to clear his vision and walked me over to the bed. He climbed in closer to the wall and lifted the arm closest to me onto my pillows. I climbed in next to him, laying my head on his chest and feeling his arm lay over me. His other hand clasped mine that lay on his chest. I sighed as I heard his heartbeat and let myself fall into a very warm and comforting abyss that finally didn't feel empty.

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I know this was a mushy chapter, but I would classify myself as a bit of a romantic and had to get it in somewhere! In the words of one of my favorite authors on here (the awesome one ^_^), "Please review. Reviews are love and I need love)

~Echo