The short captain Shinigami was strong – a little too strong for Grimmjow's taste. He'd always been careful not to underestimate his opponents, but this time he was a little more than distracted because he had an extra life to look after during a fight. Keeping one eye on Ichigo's little form huddled on the building while blocking attacks with Pantera was tough on his concentration.

"Where are you looking, Grimmjow?" Toshiro asked with a hint of smugness in his tone. "All you're doing is blocking my hits. When are you going to take me seriously?"

Feeling a spike anger flood his veins, Grimmjow tore his eyes away from the forlorn looking child, thankful he still had not moved from his spot. He supposed he could trust Ichigo to behave obediently for the rest of the fight. Slashing Pantera to ward off Toshiro's zanpakutou, Grimmjow aimed a kick at the small Shinigami, who jumped back reflexively. Grinning, Grimmjow aimed a Cero directly at the white haired boy, feeling lucky to catch him off guard. He missed by a hair's breadth as the captain somersaulted in the air, flash stepping higher to avoid the blaze of laser-like reiatsu.

"You're not a fair player, I see." Toshiro remarked casually, righting himself on his feet in mid-air. "After all my chivalry of patiently waiting for you to focus on our fight, I thought that you would return it."

"I'm as fair as they can get." Grimmjow answered smoothly, running a hand through his blue hair. "Don't assume I'll be nice just because you are, though."

Toshiro snorted. "Well, I guess vermin are really all the same then."

Grimmjow knew he was baiting him, but didn't rise to take his chunk out of the verbal argument. He didn't like the idea of wasting time with this snooty little boy in a captain's seat, when he could be guarding Ichigo from all sorts of harm. He couldn't help feeling a tad bit paranoid about a random Shinigami suddenly appearing to kidnap the little orange haired boy. Grimmjow tried not to think about what it would be like without Ichigo around. He wouldn't be able to fight him anymore if the Shinigami got their hands on him. There were no doubts that they would most likely keep him somewhere far away until they managed to turn him back to his normal form. With renewed energy fuelled from his fear, Grimmjow continued the fight, slashing away like a maniac as he struggled to mask his worry for Ichigo. It wouldn't be good if Toshiro's attention was diverted by the child.

Suddenly, Grimmjow caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Ichigo was slowly inching away from the Shinigami Ulquiorra had been fighting with. Grimmjow looked around quickly, scanning the battlefield for his leader until he saw him lithely hopping out from a pile of rubble far off to the right. Toshiro chose that exact moment to release his bankai, sending a roaring ice dragon in Grimmjow's direction.

Dodging icy hailstones, Grimmjow sped up using Sonido, hurrying off to grab Ichigo before the Shinigami did. It was incredibly dangerous to leave the child there; why had he even thought about putting him down at all?

"Are you trying to run from me?" Toshiro's voice sounded directly behind him.

Grimmjow gritted his teeth and swung Pantera around, using his instincts to judge where the short Shinigami was. He received a slash across his chest as a reward for guessing. Gasping at the pain clouding his nerves, Grimmjow checked his wound as he continued moving. He was glad to find that it was shallow. Meanwhile, Ichigo was backed up to the very corner of the building, hugging his blanket around him like it was a shield. He wore a frightened expression, and the ebony haired Shinigami was still advancing toward him. He appeared to be talking gently to the child, but Grimmjow would have none of it. Ichigo was under his care and he was not about to let some loser talk his way into ownership of the boy.

"Get away from him!" Grimmjow hollered, striking down at the perfect moment; Byakuya's back was turned.

The noble blocked his attack like it was a mere seven year old's fist hitting him on the shoulder. Grimmjow reeled back, jumping up just in time to avoid a blow from Toshiro's ice dragon. He could feel the whisk of cold air beneath him as the dragon whirled around, coming back up toward him for another strike. Grimmjow took one look at its gaping jaws and darted away, making a full circle around the building, giving it a wide berth as he planned his next move.

"Fool." The Shinigami noble said. "You underestimate me, Espada."

Grimmjow bit back a scathing retort, unwilling to involve himself in another battle. He wasn't an idiot enough to pick a fight with two captains at once. Besides, Ichigo needed him, and from the look of terror on his pale face, the boy was definitely about to bawl.

With a swift whoosh of air, Ulquiorra appeared at Grimmjow's side, looking wary and suspicious. Emerald eyes met cerulean ones, and the Quarto nodded in the boy's direction.

"I will distract them. You take the boy to safety."

Grimmjow nodded back, clenching Pantera's hilt in his hand tightly. Halibel stepped up next to them, eying the situation contemplatively. She didn't look very pleased. Her right shoulder was smoking lightly, and part of her white uniform was torn. Halibel shot Grimmjow a look that clearly stated "don't ask" and placed a hand on her white shark fin-like sword.

"I'll help, too." She said quietly. "Yammy has just arrived with Aizen-sama's latest request. You are to take the child and head back to Las Noches immediately. Stark will accompany you."

"Isn't he fighting right now?" Grimmjow asked, eying the ongoing battle behind them dubiously.

"We will all retreat. Evidently this will not go down well." Halibel replied in her usual calm manner. "Aizen-sama wants the child safe while he plans out the next move. It is clear that the boy is of some importance right now. There are more Shinigami arriving, and though we can rip open another space for Hollows to come, it will be troublesome. Once we all retreat, we can release the Hollows out for the Shinigami to deal with."

"It's cowardly." Grimmjow muttered. "But I'm not about to complain."

They set their plan into action quickly, Halibel and Ulquiorra moving in tandem. They created enough of a diversion, leading the two Shinigami captains away from Ichigo. Moving rapidly, Grimmjow used all the stealth left in him to zip over to the rooftop and grab Ichigo in his arms.

The boy let out a soft sob as he buried his face in the folds of Grimmjow's jacket. Balancing the child on his hip, the Sexta made a mad dash for an opening Gargantuan. Stark was already standing there, ushering Lilinette inside. He pushed Grimmjow in and followed suit, leaving it open for Szayel and Nnoitra to leap into. Ulquiorra and Halibel successfully ripped open a new space, releasing a horde of hungry Hollows and Menos into the town. Instantly, the Shinigami found themselves busy fighting them off left, right and center. Their plan was working. Ulquiorra used Sonido to appear at the mouth of the Gargantuan, which was slowly closing. Halibel followed him in, and the opening closed to the angry howls of Hollows as they were slashed open by swords.

x

"We have a meeting with Aizen-sama later." Ulquiorra stated calmly as they reappeared right outside the main building in Las Noches. He did not appear unruffled by the entire ordeal in the least. "Go to the medic room while I report to him."

Nnoitra was bleeding from a gash on his side, and blood was seeping across his uniform, dripping down onto the sand beneath him. He was breathing hard as if he had just run a marathon. The Quinto was clutching at the open wound which had serrated edges; most likely from the redheaded Shinigami's sword. Despite the obvious pain he was suffering, Nnoitra was wearing his usual cocky grin, which he aimed at Grimmjow, whom he noticed was eying him inquiringly.

"Worried about me, Sexta?" He wheezed, chuckling as he leaned his weapon against the nearest wall. The sharp crescent-shaped blade of Santa Teresa was dripping with blood. "Don't worry. I got the bastard good in the chest. Sent him flying into several buildings before I scrammed."

"Like I would worry about you." Grimmjow muttered, shaking his head. "I thought your skin was too hard to even get scratched."

"I got caught off guard is all." Nnoitra cackled, reaching out with a bloodstained hand to pinch Ichigo's cheek. "I see you managed to get him back."

The little boy whimpered and avoided Nnoitra's narrowed eyes.

Stark slid an arm around Lilinette's shoulders. "We should get patched up soon. She got caught in that Shinigami woman's sword ash."

"You definitely need some bandages, too." Szayel pointed out, looking at Grimmjow's injured chest.

"Nah, it's healing up already." Grimmjow replied, setting Ichigo down so he could check his wound. "It wasn't deep to start with."

Ichigo shed his blanket and buried his face in Grimmjow's pants, hugging his leg like his life depended on it. He had dropped his lollipop on the building in Karakura, but it didn't matter. He was scared and relieved at the same time; the battle had been terrifying to him, but it was over now that they were home – safe and sound. He let out a choking sob and wiped his nose on Grimmjow's leg.

"Hey." The Sexta reached down and patted his head awkwardly. "Don't cry. You're a man, aren't you?"

Ichigo responded with trembling shoulders and a soft wail.

"What's up his butt?" Nnoitra asked, flailing around as he almost lost balance. "Isn't he supposed to be all happy and stuff cause he's still alive?"

Szayel hooked an arm around Nnoitra and helped him stand upright. "I think he's traumatized from all the fighting. Or maybe he just doesn't like blood. Either way, let's get to the medic room fast. We can get him some food there."

Ulquiorra strode up to them and retrieved a small packet from his robes. "This is the boy's food."

Szayel took the neatly wrapped parcel from him and examined its contents dubiously. "It's just candy. The child can't survive on sweets. What else have you been feeding him?"

Ulquiorra gave him a one shoulder shrug. "Warm powdered milk, like you instructed. I left the rest in Grimmjow's care."

"Uh." The Sexta found several pairs of eyeballs watching him expectantly. "I didn't exactly check; this whole week has been like a whirlwind. And I don't really know what else there is to feed him . . ."

Szayel looked aghast, then recovered from his initial shock with a heavy sigh. "I should have known better than to leave the feeding up to you both."

Ulquiorra looked a little annoyed. "The child is not mine to care for. Aizen agreed to let Grimmjow do the babysitting. I gather that includes feeding him, too."

Ichigo looked up from Grimmjow's pants and murmured. "Is Daddy okay?"

The Espada stilled, and once again Grimmjow felt eyeballs swivel in his direction. He swallowed audibly and glanced down at the orange haired boy before turning back to the others.

"It's not what you think . . ." He attempted to explain, but trailed off as Ichigo tugged on his pants insistently.

"Daddy has blood all over his chest."

Nnoitra, who had been rocking unsteadily on his feet, snorted and began snickering. Szayel gaped open mouthed at Grimmjow, who bit on his bottom lip before sucking in a big breath of air. Ichigo was still looking up at him anxiously, his honey brown eyes flicking between Grimmjow's wound and his face.

"Daddy, huh." Stark remarked, straining to be casual. "That's . . . interesting."

Grimmjow shook his head. "I swear, I had nothing to do with it. I thought he knew my name."

Szayel dragged Nnoitra down the hallway, taking care not to bump him on the corners. "Just answer the boy, and come along. I see you all have some injuries I need to fix."

Ichigo held onto Grimmjow's hand tightly, pulling him after Szayel. "Quickly, Daddy. You're hurt."

Much to the Sexta's chagrin and confusion, the little boy continued calling him 'Daddy' and refused to release his hand. Grimmjow found himself being led all the way to the medic room and shoved in by tiny hands on his thighs. He was pushed into a comfortable chair and made to stay like a dog.

"Sit!" Ichigo commanded loudly, slipping into the role of an anguished four year old playing Captain. "Sit here and don't move!"

Nnoitra, who was already lying on the medic bed, chuckled when he set eyes on the amused looking Sexta. "Well isn't that sweet, playing family."

"Shut it, bastard." Grimmjow muttered, feeling embarrassed by the little boy's antics.

Szayel slapped him on the cheek with a pair of latex gloves, looking disapprovingly at him. "None of that; we're in front of a child!"

Ichigo giggled and clapped his hands over his mouth. Popping open a small jar of colored rocks, Szayel handed it to the boy with a smile.

"Jellybeans!" Ichigo yelled in delight, grabbing the glass jar with fervor. "Yummy!"

"What beans?" Grimmjow stared incredulously as the boy stuffed handful after handful into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days.

"It's a human product. They're basically chewy candies in the shape of kidney beans. I know I said giving him too much candy isn't good, but these have every fruit flavor and they have enough vitamin C in them, so that's important." Szayel rustled in one of the medic cabinets for some bandages and tape. "Stick around; after I'm done seeing to your injuries I'll write out a list and set a timetable for you to follow. The boy needs to be fed regularly – he's not like us. We can go for decades without actually consuming anything other than the occasional spirit particles, but he needs to eat every day. And it's important to keep him alive."

x

"Why are the Shinigami so bent on retrieving the kid?" Nnoitra felt his newly bandaged wound gingerly, wincing as he prodded a tad bit harder than necessary. "He's pretty useless right now, anyway."

Grimmjow cradled the sleeping boy in his arms and let out a soft sigh. Ichigo was safe, for now. He could breathe easy for the time being. They were in the meeting room, listening to Aizen asking questions, giving answers, and sipping tea like there wasn't a war going on. At first, Grimmjow had intended to put Ichigo in his quarters, where the boy could sleep without any interruption. Ichigo had loudly objected to being separated, and threatened to bawl nonstop until Grimmjow caved in, which he eventually did. Strangely enough, Aizen had allowed him to bring the boy in, saying the meeting would proceed better with the child near Grimmjow, anyway.

Seated at the high end of the table, Aizen smiled, satisfied with the rich flavor of his tea. "You see, they feel that they owe the substitute Shinigami for all he has done. That, and his friends can't accept that mere Espada are caring for the boy. They fear we will hurt him. Therefore, without Ichigo they are at a handicap. The boy – when normal – has more spiritual pressure than three Shinigami captains put together."

Nnoitra muttered something about favoritism and rolled his eyes. Seated next to him, Szayel gave him a nudge with his elbow.

"So the kid's something special, huh." Yammy grunted his opinion from the far end of the table. "He looks like an annoying flea to me."

"Looks can be deceiving." Aaraniero shrilled in his high-pitched tone. Then, using a lower pitch, he added "So the boy is something we have to protect?"

Nodding, Aizen leaned his elbows on the table, wearing a pleased expression on his face. "Of course. Things are working perfectly; we have the Shinigami like puppets in our hands. All we have to do is spin them in the right directions according to plan."

Now awake, Ichigo patted Grimmjow's bone mask, feeling the ridges and grooves of his mask's teeth curiously. He balanced his knees on the Sexta's thighs for better leverage.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed loudly, and promptly gave the mask a thump.

"What are you doing?" Grimmjow pulled his inquisitive hands away. "Don't slap me."

Aizen watched them with a smile. "How is the boy, Grimmjow? Any changes so far?"

"Not that I know of." Grimmjow muttered. "He's just irritating as usual."

Ichigo let out a nonsensical stream of babble and upturned Grimmjow's tea cup. Thankfully it was drained of all liquid and only a few tea leaves spilled out. He turned to look up at Grimmjow guiltily.

"Whoops, Daddy."

Grimmjow sighed. "I'm Grimmjow, Ichigo."

Szayel cleared his throat to get Aizen's attention. "I believe the boy has been opening up much better as of late. He can now voice out what he wants and needs to a certain extent, but it is understandable for a human child his age. The antidote is still coming along, but I may need another human teenager as a base."

"Go on." Aizen nodded at the Octavo's questioning glance.

"There is another alternative, however. I can use some of the boy's DNA molecules, but for that I need the ones he had as a teenager, not as a child."

"Where do you propose we should find that?" Aizen raised both eyebrows speculatively.

"It can be anything the boy has used as a teenager. A few strands of hair from a hair brush, his personal hygiene items like a toothbrush . . . you get the idea." Szayel gestured at Ichigo, who was trying to reach for Stark's mask. "Those things can be found in his home."

"Another trip to the Human Realm would be too soon." Ulquiorra objected. "Forgive me, Aizen-sama, but we have only just managed to escape from the Shinigami. There is no telling if we can pull off this mission successfully, should we try it."

"True." Aizen waved a hand dismissively. "We will find time for that. It's fine if the boy remains as he is for the time being. Anyway, you are in command during battle, Ulquiorra. It is clear that now the Shinigami know of the boy's whereabouts, they will come here to demand him back."

"So we get to fight on home base?" Grimmjow asked, lifting Ichigo off his lap and setting him on his feet. "Go and play."

"Exactly so. I expect most of you are looking forward to it."

"I guess." Grimmjow said reluctantly. "But what about Ichigo? Where does he go when we fight?"

Aizen leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "He should be under your care. You are, in fact, the only Espada he has grown properly accustomed to. I see you have already been pegged with the affectionate term 'Daddy'."

Grimmjow reddened while the others snickered. ". . . Yeah."

Alarm bells began wailing all of a sudden. The Espada stiffened, and Grimmjow looked around worriedly for Ichigo. The little boy was running straight for him. In seconds, he was clambering up into the Sexta's lap. Gin strolled in from one of the doors, wearing a devious grin.

"We've got some intruders, Captain. Gonna do somethin' about it?"

Aizen raised an eyebrow. "Ah, I see. The Shinigami have broken in, I presume?"

"Got that right." Gin snickered behind one long white sleeve. "Runnin' through the sandy dunes on the outskirts of our place."

"How far away are they?"

"I'd say about two, maybe three miles off. I set up the barrier so they'll take a little time passin' through." Gin leaned down over Aizen's chair with a smirk. "Ain't I been a good little follower?"

"You certainly have been." Aizen chuckled, pressing a button under the table.

There was a soft beeping sound and the alarms stopped as abruptly as they had started. A plasma-like screen levered up with a whirr of machinery and surfaced on the table. All the Espada leaned in to look as the widescreen flickered to life. There were four scenes divided evenly in the screen, and all four were filled with moving visuals of Shinigami running around the area.

"They've passed the first gate." Ulquiorra noticed. "Three more to go. What would you have us do, Aizen-sama?"

"All in good time." Aizen smiled benignly, settling back in his chair as Gin proceeded to give him a shoulder massage. "Watch the Shinigami. If they can get past the third and fourth gate, then I'll send all of you out to stop them before they get inside here."

Nnoitra grinned at Grimmjow, a hungry glint in his eyes. It was obvious he was practically raring for some battle action. "It's the boy they want."

"I leave the battling up to you, Ulquiorra." Aizen stood up, laying a hand on Gin's shoulder. "I will be watching from the operation room. Once the enemy retreats, you will report back to me."

The Espada stood up, their eyes still fixed on the screen. Aizen's voice floated back into the room as he exited. "Remember to keep the boy safe at all costs."

x

"Find someplace good to hide the child." Ulquiorra instructed, halting Ichigo in his tracks as he tried to run after a sand lizard. "Make sure he doesn't meet any Shinigami. Don't stay with him. It's you they'll target first, since you're the last person they saw him with."

The second Ulquiorra picked him up, Ichigo tried resisting. He struggled and writhed, flailing for all he was worth to be put down. The Quarto's grip was like iron. Ichigo thumped on Ulquiorra's shoulders, bawling to be let down. When that didn't work, his lower lip trembled and tears began rolling down his cheeks. He was a few seconds short of launching into all-out screaming. Ulquiorra frowned sternly at him. Ichigo hiccupped and avoided the Quarto's irritated gaze.

"After you hide him, make sure he doesn't cry." Ulquiorra set the boy down and dusted imaginary dirt off his hands.

Ichigo made a beeline for the Sexta, and Grimmjow lifted him up into his arms. Turning to the others, Ulquiorra began dishing out commands. One by one, the Espada vanished, each heading off into their ordered directions. Grimmjow ran through the deserted hallways with Stark. None of the lesser Arrancar were in sight; they had probably been startled by the alarms.

"Where to?" Stark asked. "Were you given orders to fight?"

"Don't know. Ulquiorra wasn't clear about that." Grimmjow muttered, keeping his voice low. "He just said hide the kid somewhere safe. How much more vague can you get?"

"An order's an order." Stark stopped in his tracks. "Lilinette!"

Footsteps sounded in the distance, and a short figure darted up to them, diving for Stark's arms. "Let's go and fight!"

"We've got to hide Ichigo in the safest place we can think of." Grimmjow said worriedly. "The only place I know would be my room in the South quarters."

"It's not safe enough." Stark shook his head, disagreeing. "Have you forgotten that our quarters are in the next building? We can't get there in time without being sensed. They've brought in even more Shinigami than before. Several captains, too."

Running while carrying a child was proving to be a strain, especially when Ichigo gripped a chunk of his hair for balance. And then laughed in his face. His hands were sticky after eating jellybeans, and sandy from rolling around in the sand. Grimmjow made a face at the gunk now stuck in his hair.

Ichigo flailed and yelled. "My toy cars!"

"They're in my room." Grimmjow followed Stark down a flight of stairs, leading to an underground basement. It was dark and smelled like sand. "We can go get them later."

"No!"

"Be reasonable, Ichigo."

"But I want them now!"

"Soon, alright?"

"I said I want to play right NOW!"

Small fists began hitting him on the back, and Grimmjow inhaled a deep breath as he mentally willed himself to be patient. Ichigo continued screaming for his toys, but to no avail. The stairs they were running on grew steeper by the second, and required careful navigation. There were no banisters to hold on to, so one little accident could send them plunging down into the darkness below. Stopping in mid-run, he set Ichigo down and held him firmly by the collar.

"Behave yourself." He growled out, giving the boy a shake. "Do you want to get caught by the Shinigami?"

Ichigo stuck out his tongue and looked away in a childish gesture of defiance.

"We've got to keep moving." Stark reminded him softly. "I can already sense some Shinigami outside the building."

"Shouldn't the others be able to hold them off?"

"Did you forget how many there were in the screen?" Stark laid a hand on Lilinette's head, allowing her to bury her face in his stomach. "I don't think eight of them are able to handle all of the Shinigami at once."

"We're supposed to help them fight!"

"Well, why don't you give the boy to me?" Gin asked, successfully startling them. "I can shelter him much better than you can right now."

Grimmjow whirled around to see Aizen's grinning subordinate leaning against a wall. Gin gave a little wave and plucked out a glass jar of cookies.

"I got some food for him, too."

Stark gave Grimmjow a nudge. "Go on, we'll handle things better without Ichigo around."

Kneeling down to Ichigo's level, the Sexta cupped the boy's chin in one hand and looked into his eyes. "Go with Gin and be a good boy, you hear?"

Ichigo gave him a petulant pout, but said nothing. Grimmjow sighed in defeat.

"Look, I promise I'll play with you later, alright? We can do anything you want to."

Honey brown eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Anything? You promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

Ichigo beamed, content with his answer. "Okay. Pinky promise first!"

Grimmjow's confusion must have shown on his face, for Ichigo reached to take his hand and curl his little finger around Grimmjow's own. "This is a pinky promise."

"Ain't he the cutest lil' thing?" Gin chuckled, laying a slender hand on the child's hair. "Come back and get him soon, Grimmjow."

To Ichigo, the silver haired man said "Why don't you give your Daddy a goodbye hug?"

Small arms reached up and dragged Grimmjow's neck down toward him. "See ya, Daddy! Bring me a souvenir."

Baffled, Grimmjow disentangled himself from his child's grasp and stood up. "Huh? But I'm only going to fight . . ."

"Szayel told me a souvenir is something you get when Daddy goes out somewhere." Ichigo aimed his beam up at Gin. "My Daddy's getting me one!"

Stark dragged Grimmjow in the other direction. "C'mon, let's get going."

Gin waved, sending them one of his famous Cheshire cat grins. "Bye bye, Daddy!"

x

"Where is he?"

"You don't need to know."

"Tell me!"

"Nope."

Grimmjow clashed Pantera against the white haired captain's Hyourinmaru, grinning when the young boy slid back a few inches from the exerted force.

"Rest assured we will find a way to get Kurosaki back." Toshiro snarled through gritted teeth.

"Children, always so determined." Grimmjow smirked as the young boy frowned. Evidently he did not take being called a child very lightly. Well, at least he knew something would bait the young Shinigami.

"I am not a child." Toshiro swung his sword relentlessly, keeping his eyes trained on Grimmjow. "You underestimate me."

"Only natural when you look like one." Grimmjow waved his free hand airily, jumping back to avoid a swift blow to his stomach.

In the back of his mind, he found himself wondering how Ichigo was, and what he was doing. Or if he was having fun with Gin. Or if he liked the cookies Gin gave him more than he liked the lollipops and jellybeans. Still, Grimmjow concluded he was lucky the child wasn't here. Now he could concentrate on fighting and worry slightly less. The worry never really went away.

"Renji!"

Grimmjow heard the short black haired female Shinigami give a loud cry. Toshiro must have heard it too, because he turned his head away for a few seconds. Seizing the golden opportunity, Grimmjow aimed a Cero that successfully blasted the white haired Shinigami into a big slab of rock. It crumbled like a day-old scone and Toshiro rolled head over heels back in the sand a good long way off. Grimmjow flicked his gaze from his opponent to the redheaded Shinigami, who kneeled on the sand before a grinning Nnoitra. There was a vast amount of blood gushing from several wounds he sustained on his body, and he was coughing up more onto his hand. Nnoitra had got him good in the chest with Santa Teresa.

"Stay away, Rukia!" Renji managed to choke out before slumping down onto the ground, clearly defeated.

Nnoitra turned to shoot Rukia a triumphant smirk. "Next, please."

Stark sauntered over, having finished his fight with a spiky haired Shinigami with a number 69 tattooed on his face. Lilinette trailed after him, looking highly satisfied.

"Oh no, Hisagi-san!" Rukia gasped, assessing the situation.

There was a howling sound in the distance, and it echoed for miles around. The ground began rumbling. Grimmjow returned Nnoitra's grin; Aizen was sending out some Hollows for the Shinigami to play with. Many of the Shinigami were helping each other to their feet, most of them wounded and shaky.

"What's happening?" Toshiro wheezed as he was helped back to the others with the aid of his lieutenant, Rangiku.

"Hollows are approaching." Byakuya replied, lifting his redheaded lieutenant up on his feet. "We must retreat for now. There are too many casualties. Rukia, the gate."

Rukia nodded and muttered an incantation. Grimmjow and the others watched calmly as a door appeared in mid-air with a grinding sound. It opened with a creak and light spilled out from within. Shinigami began disappearing into it quickly, making their getaway before the Hollows got to them.

"Wow." Lilinette stepped forward. "Neat!"

Stark laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't, it leads to Soul Society. We'll let them escape. They'll come back as long as Ichigo is here, anyway."

Ulquiorra motioned for the others to gather around him. "Task completed. We will now report back to Aizen. Those injured may go to the medic room immediately."

Lesser Arrancar began materializing, ready to help the Espada back to the safe haven of the buildings. Thankfully, none of them were heavily wounded as they had been in the fight at Karakura town. True to Aizen's word, the Shinigami had retreated. Ichigo was still safe. Grimmjow released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

x

It was now night, and the desert sun had set a long while ago, leaving Las Noches in a blanket of dark gray. There was a pale strip of moonlight over the area, giving the shadows an eerie feel. The Espada had only just been dismissed from the meeting room with Aizen, and were allowed to head back to their quarters. They were free for the rest of the night. Stark and Nnoitra accompanied Grimmjow back to their quarters, talking about the Shinigami and discussing what they thought would happen.

"Here's my room." Stark stopped outside his door, pushing it open with one hand so Lilinette could enter. "Good fight today."

Nnoitra gave a noncommittal grunt and a half wave. Grimmjow nodded and smirked. "Can't wait for more."

They parted ways and went into their own quarters to retire for the night. Grimmjow found his room dark and silent, void of any thumps and thuds to indicate his little boy was playing. He remembered that he had left Ichigo with Gin, and wondered if he should go collect the boy. The room felt rather empty without him. Sighing, the Espada slid out of his jacket and toed off his boots, going through the events of the day in his mind.

The Shinigami desperately wanted Ichigo back, which meant he was of some importance to them. Grimmjow was aware they saw him as a friend, but it seemed like there was more to it than met the eye when it came to rescuing Ichigo. He wondered if Ichigo was actually happier here.

"Daddy!" Ichigo burst into the room, startling Grimmjow, who had been in the middle of undressing. "You're back!"

"Yeah." Grimmjow tugged off his jacket and allowed Ichigo to hug him around his legs. "Did you have fun with Gin?"

"Yup!" Ichigo threw his hands up in the air and whirled around happily. "Lots and lots of fun. We played loads of games and Gin helped me build a sandcastle."

The Sexta felt a little jealous of Gin. Maybe Ichigo found him much better to be with than Grimmjow. Maybe he even liked Gin more than his own adopted father.

"But it wasn't as fun as playing with you." Ichigo clambered up the bed with his shoes on, spreading his arms out for a hug. "I missed you Daddy."

Grimmjow melted, relenting. "Did you, now? That's good, because I missed you too."

He tickled Ichigo, sending the boy into a fit of giggles. It was only when Ichigo began rolling on the bed did Grimmjow notice something.

"Hey, you didn't take your boots off."

The laughing child stopped to let his father undo his laces for him, tugging them gently off his feet. Grimmjow pulled off his rainbow colored stockings and studied Ichigo. He looked flushed and happy. His cheeks were a healthy shade of pink, and his honey brown eyes watched Grimmjow curiously. There was a light smear of mud on his cheek and his hair looked sticky. There was even a little green jellybean stuck in his hair. Grimmjow frowned.

"I think it's time for a bath."

He set to work, undressing Ichigo as well as himself, stripping down to his underwear. Scooping the boy up, Grimmjow headed for his wardrobe, which held the little boy's clothes aside from his own. Picking out a dark blue shirt with an anchor detail on it, he placed it on the bed with a pair of shorts and little red stockings. He figured Ichigo would be warm enough in those. Heading into the bathroom, Grimmjow placed Ichigo on the marble sink, giving him a newly purchased toy – a rubber whale filled with light blue bath gel.

"When you squeeze it in the tub, liquid soap will come out of it and you can splash around and make bubbles." Grimmjow read off the tag. "Huh. Humans got pretty creative."

"Whaley!" Ichigo chorused excitedly.

"I picked it cause it's blue."

"Like Daddy's hair!"

". . .Yeah."

Ichigo entertained himself with his new toy while Grimmjow prepared the bath. Flipping the tap, the Sexta waited patiently for the warm water to fill up the tub. He found himself absently thinking about things, enjoying the warm feel of the water running against his skin. When it reached a desired level, Grimmjow flipped the tap again and turned around to retrieve his child. To his horror, Ichigo was using his razor to slice off the bristles on his toothbrush. A big tube of toothpaste lay in the sink, covered with sawn-off bristles. The sink itself was splattered with white and blue striped toothpaste, and a tube of shaving cream soon joined the mess.

"Ichigo!" Grimmjow all but wailed. "What do you think you're doing?"

The boy dropped the razor and toothbrush with a guilty smile. "It was fun."

"Yeah, for you."

"Sorry." Ichigo watched him cautiously. "Are you angry, Daddy?"

Grimmjow inhaled a deep breath and bit his lip. He studied his reflection in the wide mirror and was surprised at his unfamiliar expression. He had a mixture of exasperation and amusement on his face, with a tad bit of annoyance. Funny how he never knew about the faces he could make. Breaking out into a smile, Grimmjow brushed the hair out of Ichigo's eyes.

"Not anymore." He scooped the boy in his arms and got into the tub. "Look, here's a duck sponge. I picked it out for you at the store."

"Ducky!" Ichigo squealed as the duck floated upright in the water, bobbing up and down as he splashed about.

"Put Whaley in here." Grimmjow guided Ichigo's small hand in his and gave a gentle squeeze. "See, there's blue gel coming out from Whaley's tummy."

The child was delighted. They spent a good half hour soaking in the warm bath, and then Grimmjow washed the stickiness out of Ichigo's hair. He smiled as the child tilted his head back and giggled up at him, pulling gently at the wet strands of his own blue hair.

"Let's get you all dried now."

After toweling Ichigo's hair dry, the Sexta left him to pull his clothes on while he checked the list Szayel had given him.

"Mealtimes: morning, noon, and evening." Grimmjow read aloud. "Collect meals from kitchen. In case of forgetfulness, Ulquiorra has been told to bring them to you. Child should eat at least one kind of fruit after each meal. Child should consume eight glasses of water per day."

According to Ulquiorra, Gin had already seen to it that Ichigo had been fed. That was a good check off the list, but Grimmjow still needed to keep him fed until he grew bigger.

Ichigo slid on his socks and ran over to hug Grimmjow's legs. "Watcha doing Daddy?"

"Reading." Grimmjow sighed. "Keeping you is turning out to be more complicated than I thought."

The boy's face fell. "Does that mean you don't like me?"

"No, no." Grimmjow chuckled, setting the paper down to pull Ichigo into a hug. "You're a bit far off the mark, there."

"Oh." Ichigo fumbled with a small toy airplane in his hands as he processed this. "Will you tell me a story?"

A story?

Grimmjow stiffened. He didn't know about any stories. Well, at least not the kind suitable to tell young children Ichigo's age, anyway. Still, he had to try. He couldn't fail those soulful brown eyes. Sitting down on the bed, Grimmjow ran through some ideas in his mind.

"Mmm . . . there's a story I know about a panther and a kitten. Want to hear it?"

"Yes please."

"Okay, here goes." Grimmjow began. "In a faraway land, there lived a white panther who was ferocious and brutal. He was mean and cruel to most of the other animals, but deep down inside he didn't want them to get too close. One day, he met a little kitten who was helplessly struggling to fight against an army of angry cats. The panther knew he couldn't stave them off for very long on his own, so he attacked the cats and killed them all to save the kitten. Scared, the kitten thought that the panther would eat him, and cowered down on the ground to beg for mercy. The panther picked the kitten up between his teeth and brought him back to his den, where he fed and nourished the starving kitten until he was old enough to fend for his own. The kitten grew up to be a fine young cat and went on with his life."

He had made that up, obviously, but Ichigo looked content enough with the story he had just pulled off the top of his head. Before Ichigo could attack him with a barrage of questions, there was a knock on the door. Ulquiorra poked his head in and wordlessly handed Grimmjow a jar of jellybeans.

"What's this for?"

"To replenish your stock." Ulquiorra explained patiently. "A good source of vitamin C."

"Sugar, more like." Grimmjow muttered and walked over to take it. "From Szayel, I guess?"

The Quarto nodded. "See to it that the child has enough sleep."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Grimmjow said with a smile.

Ichigo was already nodding off on the bed, undoubtedly worn-out from the day's excitement. He looked up sleepily as Grimmjow crawled into the bed to join him, lifting the coverlet to spread over him. Ulquiorra dutifully flipped the light switch and shut the door.

"Go to sleep, Ichigo."

"Night Daddy."

The Sexta watched the boy fall asleep, and waited until his breathing was drawn out long and even before stroking his soft orange hair. He pressed his lips to Ichigo's chubby cheek and whispered against his ear.

"Goodnight, little kitten."

x

Any thoughts on this one? :D