Another chapter yay! This is going about as rapidly as when I first started the story. Which is great. Just hoping I don't burn out or hit another block before I finish this story. I'd like to have at least finished a few of the ones I have started.

Chapter 29: Stop

Grimmjow was barely keeping up with Soi Fon. But her destination was apparent. And he had to stop her. It wasn't something she would ever come back from, even with the fact that she was infected. He was glad for the training he'd received before the outbreak though. Or he'd never have made it into the First Division. He dashed silently through the building the Head Captain's office is in. He saw the door ahead of him standing ajar, and the soft sound of a blade being drawn. He leapt into the room, just in time to tackle Soi Fon, whose blade had melted down her arm to form Suzumibachi's gauntlet. Soi Fon, stealth lost, growled inhumanly at Yamamoto, who had turned from his window at the thump of the two bodies hitting the floor. "Captain, I'll take care of it, I'll get her out of here!" Grimmjow said. He slipped one arm around the struggling woman's throat, and drew his sword with the other. Quickly, he released his Zanpakuto, using the extra strength to grab Soi Fon and drag her away. He knew any second she could end him. It just had to take her realizing she wasn't getting away from him. So he flashed as fast as he could to the forest between the two divisions. He pushed her away from him quickly and saw the first homonka spread across his chest. "Bee, stop. I know you don't want to kill me." he told her. She stood where he'd shoved her, panting. She looked absolutely feral. Blind with rage. She screamed, and ran forward, punching him in the face with her left fist, then kicking him in the side with her right foot. Grimmjow barely had a moment to stumble back to narrowly dodge the stinging edge of her gauntlet. She kept him on the defense swinging hits any from any direction. All he could do was dodge or block occasionally. By the time she'd paused, he had three more homonka. One on the back of his right shoulder, another on his right thigh, and the third on the left side of his face. And man did that one hurt. He knew he had to get on the offensive, and leapt forward, blurring to her right side and sending a powerful kick into the arms she'd brought up to defend herself with. She slid back a few feet from the impact. Another growl tears its way across the space between them. He moves forward again, and he swept a clawed hand down her right arm. Blood dripped down her arm and from the end of the gauntlet. He knew how deep he'd cut her. And if he was careful, another swipe would sever the nerve endings and she wouldn't be able to use her Zanpakuto in its most deadly form. Or be able to use Shunko. He didn't want to hurt her honestly. It made him sick to his stomach. Which is stupid, because it wasn't really that long ago that they were enemies and he would have killed her without a moment's hesitation. But now... now he needed to stop thinking about her like she was going to be ok. If he didn't kill her, the fever would. But he couldn't stand to think that he'd lose her. It was sickening how soft he'd become. Because of her. What she'd done to him in the time that he'd been with her. And now he had to kill her. But he knew, that inside, she'd rather die by his hands than to die a traitor. "Bee... Soi Fon. I don't want to do this," he said. She was still growling at him, struggling, but lifting the injured arm. "Don't make me do this," he whispered to her. She leapt forwards anyways, her gauntlet poised for a killing blow. If he didn't move, it would strike the homonka on his chest. His resurrection melted away, to his sword. He dropped his head, positioning his blade. She would strike him in the chest... but in order to hit the homonka at the right angle, she'd impale herself on his blade.

Uryu and Chad were hiding in the trees watching the camp of scientists. After the suspicious behavior Nemu had shown, Uryu had told Chad they were sticking around. They had hidden themselves and their suspicions were rewarded. About two and a half hours later they'd watched as the Shinigami scientists had made their way out the front door, every one of them carrying some kind of equipment. Mayuri led the lot of them, followed by Nemu, who had a large bruise forming on the left side of her face. Silently, he indicated for Chad to follow them, before slipping in through a nearby window that had been left open. Uryu knew he'd be able to find Chad later, but he wanted to see what was going on. He walked through the building, careful not to touch anything. He knew that most of what Research and Development did was secret, and knew that Mayuri would want to protect his secrets from Soul Society in case he couldn't return. He was certain that Mayuri had taken what he could with him. But as he came across Mayuri's main lab, he nearly hesitated. He slipped in through the door, narrowly dodging the trap that had been set. He went over to the large computer wall, and the control panel in front of it. Erring on the side of caution, he picked up a small metal tool, and tossed it onto the panel. Another trap went off, and Uryu finally did what he came to do. He searched Quincy artifacts. Neatly listed was the location of the items that had been promised him if he stayed away. He retrieved them, and hesitated back in front of the computer. He knew he needed to hurry in order to catch up to Chad, but he had one more thing to look up before he left. The screen lit the whole room a pale color while Uryu read, and then he dashed from the room to catch up with Chad.

Ulquiorra watched as Orihime slept with the pink haired child. The bald man was in the kitchen, making food. They'd been lucky to have arrived when they had. The little girl probably should have been dead. Ulquiorra turned his attention out the window. He'd felt the fluctuations of battles all day. Way out in the distance, he knew that Grimmjow was fighting someone. He knew Tia was too. He also knew that out of every battle he could feel, there was someone who's heart wasn't in it. But more importantly, he could feel the reiatsu of hundreds, probably all weaker, of soldiers making their way in their direction. He knew he could probably cero his way out, but it wouldn't be what the Hime wanted. And it would also decimate a great number of the Soul Societies forces, leaving them open to attack from outside forces. So he was going to let Orihime sleep, for as long as he could. And then him, the bald man, and Orihime were going to fight their way out, somehow protecting the pink haired child. He knew they should run instead, but if they ran, it would have to be back, towards all of the people that Orihime had exhausted herself saving. No, they wouldn't be ruining all of her effort. Somehow they would get through the battle. Even so, he flared his reiatsu briefly. Sharp enough that it would be felt by Ichigo in the area of the sixth division. If Ichigo was still unnaffected, Ulquiorra knew that Ichigo would make his way to them.

Szayel watched the rapidly changing pictures of Soul Society, slumped over after yet another failure. He saw pictures of what had to be hundreds of Shinigami making their way to the 11th Division. Which was the last place he'd seen their Queen. Standing with conviction, he yanked the panel off the side of the portal device, and made another adjustment. He kicked the generator he'd connected to the machine, and flipped the switch. He felt rather mad-scientist like, as he pushed up his bone glasses and watched the machine spark. The Garganta tore open, and this time it stayed. He shouted, and ran out the door, straight to where Nel was. She was standing with a group of Hybrids, overseeing them cleaning up. "Its open, we have to hurry!" he shouted. One word from Nel, and everyone was dashing after Szayel to his lab. They ran through, and burst out above the First Division. Szayel sped off toward the 11th, running through the sky rather than deal with the winding passages on the ground.

Grimmjow opened his eyes. He wasn't even aware he'd closed them. But if he could open his eyes, it meant he wasn't dead yet. But he'd felt the resistance of his blade hitting something, so he looked down. Soi Fon was standing, crouched. Her arm disappeared through the hollow hole in his stomach. There was a deep cut in her right shoulder, but she was looking up at him. There was still fury, still that deep seated rage, but this time it was her own. Grimmjow dropped his blade on the ground beside him, and Soi Fon stood up, her arm exiting the hollow hole. She brought up her uninjured arm, resting that hand on her hip. She looked like an angry goddess. Her injured arm hung limply, thin rivers of blood running down it. Grimmjow shrugged off his jacket, tearing it to strips with his teeth. Soi Fon naturally started to protest as he began bandaging the wounds he'd made in the arm. The look he gave silenced her. As soon as he was done, she punched him in the face. "How dare you. How dare you just stand there and let me try to kill you! What if I hadn't died?! I would have gone back and actually killed the Captain-Commander! Or if I had been too injured, but survived without you? What should I have done then? I can't lose another Lieutenant. I can't lose you. You're an imbecile. I can't stand the sight of you," she told him, turning away. Her hands were gripping her sides. Grimmjow stepped up behind her, leaned forward, and wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her head.

"I'd miss you too Bee. That's why I couldn't just kill you." he told her.

Another chapter done.