Nami was looking forward to lunch for more reasons than just seeing the enticing stranger again. Her morning had been spent typing part of the report Kisuke had dropped on her desk yesterday. So far nothing made sense from the paper because it was so filled with medical jargon it made her brain hurt. It was a detailed account of the gene splicing and 'enhancements' that had been made to the cat including injecting it with human DNA. It terrified her and made her physically ill to think of the implications of what Urahara and Kurotsuchi were doing. They were playing God and taking a chance on ruining lives as well as creating an abomination. It was too much for her to comprehend. If there had been a full disclosure of the nature of their work on their part before she took the job, she would most likely not be working there.

"Oh, damn," Nami gasped, seeing the handsome blue haired man located near the bench they were sitting on yesterday.

He was standing beneath the massive oak tree, staring up at something. While his attention was diverted, her eyes took the time to study his behind that was nicely displayed in the tight jeans he wore. The material was stretched across his muscular thighs as well giving her more of a hint of just how built he was as if her imagination had not already filled in the blanks for her. She would have to make sure to keep her eyes on his and never allow them to drift below his waist while he was wearing those obscenely yet delectably body-hugging jeans. What the hell was wrong with her? She pressed her hand to her forehead, willing the lecherous thoughts from her mind.

Grimmjow watched the squirrel hop from branch to branch but managed to curb the desire to climb the tree to get it. His tongue played with the sharp point of one of his prominent incisors while he reminded himself that it was okay for a cat to have a squirrel snack but not a human. It was certainly not acceptable to race up the tree and catch it.

"Grimm?" Nami called, biting her lip to restrain the laugh that wanted to burst forth.

She had startled him, causing him to flinch and whirl around to stare at her with gigantic blue eyes. He looked guilty as if he had been caught doing something he should not be doing. Holding out the second paper bag to him, she gave him the offering she had brought so they could eat lunch together. After yesterday, she decided to be prepared by bringing him some food because she did not feel like sharing today. Her appetite was back with a vengeance. Her sleep last night had been invaded with unexpected dreams of uninhibited sex with the blue haired stranger. She also dreamed about the return of her much-loved and undependable companion Grimmy. Sometimes the thoughts had melded, creating a half human half cat creature that exuded a sexiness and allure that made her feel just plain weird.

Grimmjow had spread a blanket on the ground in anticipation of their picnic. He had stolen it from someone's clothesline along with the clothes he was wearing. He was thankful very few households in her neighborhood owned electric clothes dryers otherwise he had no idea where he would find his clothes. He was developing a rather extensive wardrobe by 'borrowing' from the neighbors that he kept in a hiding place in her attic that he called his home. His attic haven was convenient and comfortable on many levels; he was warm and protected from the weather and other dangers. He could also keep a watchful eye on her. He had heard her on the phone last night making plans for a date this weekend. It was his duty to keep that from happening. But how?

Nami carefully sat down on the blanket, folding her legs modestly to the side since she was wearing a skirt. She smiled at him sheepishly, lowering her eyes after a fleeting moment of eye contact. Her mind was filled with flashbacks from her dreams, and she was unable to look at him without blushing or grinning like an idiot. Opening her bag, she took out the sandwich and its accompaniments, laying them on the blanket in front of her.

Grimmjow watched her then copied her movements. No one had ever taught him to be human. He had just made guesses as to what to do by observing others at a distance. She would be the first person he had gotten up close to and intended to form a relationship with while in his human form. Humans scared him. Sometimes he had these strange and frightening images that filled his mind; just flickers that did not make sense such as men wearing masks that obscured their faces, long sharp needles, blinding lights, and metal cages. Shaking his head, he wanted to rid himself of the memories.

"Grimm, what's wrong?" Nami asked, her eyes meeting his and lingering this time. She was on her knees and leaning across the blanket to touch him.

"Nothing," he lied, taking comfort in the hand pressed against his cheek.

"All right," she responded, seeing the hurt in his eyes. Not knowing what questions to ask, she decided to allow the subject to drop as she sat back on her feet. "Let's eat then."

"This is really good," he mumbled around the mouthful of tuna sandwich in his mouth. He smiled at her when she chuckled at him. He loved that sound.

"So when you said you led a very isolated life, what did you mean?" she inquired, gingerly picking at her food and putting it in her mouth. Watching him eat with the feral voracity he showed was enough to make anyone lose their appetite.

Grimmjow proceeded to stuff his mouth while trying to come up with a plausible excuse. 'I skulk around in the shadows and hide because I'm afraid of people since I'm some kind of beast I don't understand would not be a good explanation,' he contemplated silently. "I'm just a drifter. I move from place to place getting by however I can," he explained as vaguely as possible.

"Oh, I see. So you do odd jobs? Like fix things around people's houses or helping them with problems?" she inquired a little bit excitedly.

"I can. Why?" he asked apprehensively, poking at the potato chips in the bag.

"I have a few little things that need to be fixed and an old shed that needs to be cleaned out. I also think I have rats in the attic. I keep hearing these noises up there late at night," she said, shivering a bit. "I would swear sometimes I hear breathing. But I couldn't hear rat's breath right? It must just be them moving around."

Grimmjow immediately perked up and stared at her. This was too good to be true. She had opened a door for him into her life no matter what form he was in. "I'd be more than happy to help you. I have to warn you that I will disappear sometimes for a while. I just can't help myself you know? But I'll always come back," he assured her.

"Damn, you remind me of my cat," she muttered, glaring at him. Her eyes moved to his and she noticed how he quickly averted his gaze. "So if I give you my address, will you come by and help me?"

"Of course," he responded happily then remembered his time in human form was almost up. "It will be about two weeks from now though, but I'll be there."

"Oh, all right," she sighed dejectedly, giving in to the ridiculous urge to pout.

"Nami," he called, crawling to her on all fours.

Nami held her breath and stared into his eyes as he moved toward her with cat-like graceful movements. She began to shake with excitement and just a little trepidation when he came nose to nose with her. Her breath was reduced to irregular, rapid inhales. She wanted him to kiss her but was not sure what the unpredictable man had on his mind to do to her.

"You believe me don't you? I'll be back. I promise," he reassured her, nuzzling her nose before allowing his cheek to graze against hers.

It couldn't be…it just couldn't be. Nami refused to allow her mind to connect the dots in the array it was forming. The connections it wanted to make were just crazy and stupid. She would have to read that report more thoroughly while she was typing it, but the possibility was just so…unbelievable. "I believe you," she croaked unable to speak much louder or clearer.

"I'll return to you," he stated with resolve. He cupped her cheek with his hand, running his thumb over her lips to prevent himself from kissing her. He would return to her very soon but in a different form.

~\..'../~

"Yeah, but I don't see what the big deal is. Isn't it just the natural progression of things?" Ichigo demanded grouchily, scowling at Nami.

Ichigo was arguing with her. He had come to her house for dinner. After dinner, their pleasant conversation had taken a decidedly bad turn when he brought up the subject of how to proceed with their relationship. He wanted to officially become a couple; she did not which had been unexpected and dismaying to him. How does a man kiss a woman like he had kissed her and still call her a friend?

"The big deal is I'm not sure if I'm ready for a relationship. I thought we were just friends. I didn't know women weren't allowed to feel that way," Nami retorted, snatching his plate from in front of him.

"I wasn't done with that," he informed her as pleasantly as possible despite his rising annoyance.

He almost ducked for cover under the table when she hurled his plate back at him. Shockingly enough, the impact with the table had not broken it. What the hell was wrong with her? She had seemed so pleasant and kind. Where had this raging lunatic come from? He had asked to be her boyfriend and not her husband so why was she overreacting?

Nami carefully set her plate down in the sink. She was not sure why his request for an advancement in their relationship had triggered so much irrational anger in her. Hanging her head, she allowed the deep sigh to gush noisily from her lips. She jumped in surprise when she felt his strong hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. Just tell me why you're so upset," he requested, kissing her below her earlobe while he massaged her shoulders.

"I don't want to discuss that right now," she murmured, turning to him. She put her arms around his neck, looking into his toasty brown eyes that made her feel warm inside. "It's because of my past. Not you. I'm sorry too."

Nami pulled his mouth down to hers, standing on her tiptoes so he would not have to lean down so far to kiss her. Parting her lips slightly, she accepted his searching tongue into her mouth. Blue invaded her mind's eye; blue eyes, blue hair, and tight, tight blue jeans.

"Oh, god," she gasped breaking the kiss with Ichigo.

"Mmmm…me too," he mumbled, sliding his hands down to her behind to grab it.

Nami gulped, clutching onto his arms as he kneaded her butt with his strong fingers. "No, Ichigo, not that. It's…" Her words trailed off when she attempted to formulate a way to tell him that she was interested in someone else; a stranger really who she did not even know his last name or anything else about him.

"What then? There's someone else?" he guessed, keeping his face expressionless while the hurt registered in his eyes.

"I never said I wanted to be more than friends," she muttered pathetically in her defense. It pained her heart to know that she had injured him emotionally. For him to look so brave and tough, he had a heart of glass.

"All right. I can honor that," Ichigo conceded. There was no reason to argue anymore because he could not make her want more from him. "Just friends."

Grimmjow allowed the grin of joy and triumph to cross his face. From his hiding place beneath the kitchen window, he had heard the whole thing. He was once again in his half and half form. Later, when she was in bed, he would sneak down from his secret abode to see her. It was time for her to see him in all of different forms.

...

Nami lay awake listening. She could hear the discreet scuffling in the attic. Picturing giant rodents with scary big teeth, she shivered and pulled her sheets up over her head. Concentrating on the sound of her breathing, she fell asleep.

...

Grimmy carefully peeled back the covers to see her. She was wearing his favorite pajamas with the light blue tank top and fuzzy dark blue sleep pants with light blue crescent moons on them. Familiarity had made him grow bold. She had seen him in two forms and accepted him. Why not all of them? He could tell by her face when they had lunch together in the park that she had fit the puzzle pieces together but purposely closed her eyes to keep from seeing the finished picture. Lying down on the bed next to her, he put his paw on her chest. Studying her with his typical curious feline fascination, he moved his face close to hers to inhale her familiar scent. He grunted when she clasped his paw, moving her other hand up his arm.

"Grimmy stop breathing on me, it tickles," she admonished him, her hand sliding up his shoulder to bury itself in his long hair. She snickered when he began to purr because it vibrated her chest.

Grimmy dipped his head, licking her cheek. He mewed softly when her fingers moved over his furry ears, tugging them slightly before she scratched behind them.

"Nami," he whispered in a rough voice.

"I know what you are," she murmured, sliding her arms around his neck to pull his head between her breasts.

"Wh-what?" he stuttered, unsure if he had heard her correctly. Pulling his head up to look at her, he was happy to see that she was still asleep.

"You're the one I love," she mumbled drowsily, raking her fingers through his long hair.

Grimmy settled his head back down on her chest, reveling in her affection as she stroked across his shoulders and back. His paws worked gently in contentment on her chest as she petted him. He was careful not to extend his claws so he would not scratch her. Puckering his lips, he pressed them against her heart to feel its rhythmic cadence. She loved him. The admission had made his heart skip a beat then commence to thumping so hard with happiness he thought it would free itself from his chest. Curling his big half human body around hers, he fell asleep with his head on her chest while she petted him.