I'm glad I still have people reading this series. Tbh I wasnt sure if I'd have reviewers left for this one. But I had this story kinda planned in my head so this is the final part. I'm doing this through my phone so I apologize if there's any errors I don't catch. You know the pain of autocorrect.

"Ah~ Look who came to visit us Yoruichi-san! It's our rebellious pal Grimmjow-san~"

Snorting, Grimmjow glared, "Feh. Cut the crap getaboshi. I'm not here for a vacation."

Hiding behind his fan, Kisuke smirked, "Ne, I heard from Nel-chan the reason you're here. It seems you can't get a certain girl out of your mind."

Ignoring the small jab at him, Grimmjow looked at Yoruichi, "Does she know?"

"Unless she's sensed your presence, I'd say no. Though she does come by here every so often for some training with Kisuke. Good thing he gave her the day off. She definitely hasn't been taking it easy since the war."

Sensing his discomfort, Kisuke waved his fan, "What my dear Yoruichi-san means is, Inoue-chan has been pushing herself more since coming back. What with Kurosaki-san off with Kuchiki-san all the time..."

He blinked, "That asshole is with that pathetic soul reaper?"

Kisuke smiled sadly, "You're not the only one whose shocked. All of us thought for sure he'd be with Inoue-chan. I guess we were wrong."

"Che, I should murder that bastard. Everyone could see she had feelings for him."

There was an uncomfortable silence as the three stood there. Two of them were staring at the hollow, watching his expressions change. They could feel his spiritual pressure rise, but neither of them moved. They weren't sure how he'd react, and it was wise to not irritate a very angry Grimmjow.

Coughing, Kisuke moved slightly, wary of Grimmjow's eye movement, as he grabbed the gigai already prepared and made for him. "If you're going to go see her, you should at least look human. Wouldn't want to catch the Soul Society's attention. They're already on edge with the amount of hollows appearing."

Shrugging, Grimmjow began to force his way into the gigai, grumbling about how uncomfortable it was. Not caring about his appearance, he ran a hand through his hair before he exhaled. Kisuke and Yoruichi watched with fascination at the new King of Hueco Mundo. Besides his natural blue hair, no one would suspect anything different about him. He looked more like a gang leader than the ruler of hollows.

Turning to leave the shop, he paused at the door, "Thank you."

He didn't turn back to look at the two shocked faces.

.

.

.

Trudging through the white powder on the ground, Grimmjow frowned at the coldness hitting his cheeks. Nel had mentioned something to him the last time she snuck out to visit Orihime, something he yelled at her for, about the white stickiness that covered the ground. He didn't know what she was referring to, shrugging it off as her imagination running wild, but he seemed to misjudge her information this time. The war happened around the winter, or so that's what he was told. Unless it lasts longer than in Hueco Mundo, he figured it was something he should find out more about, not wanting to miscalculate his appearances.

Not that he was planning on coming back.

He told himself this was the last time he'd ever step foot in this place. It was too loud, wild and crowded for his liking. Grimmjow preferred peace and space, if he wasn't allowed to fight , he wasn't planning on sticking around. Hell, he told the Soul Society he wouldn't step another foot in this world. But he was never one to listen to rules. Aizen had a lot of them when he was alive, and he always found them so irritating and constricting. He felt imprisoned in the hollow world, as though his every move was being watched.

And yet, just thinking about not coming back made his chest twitch in pain. He didn't have a heart but if he did, he knew it would be burning with deep sadness at the thought of not seeing the Princess again. Shaking his head, he sighed, before letting his feet direct him . He had no idea where he was going, but he instinctively knew where the princess was. Her spiritual pressure was soft and soothing, completely different from Kurosaki's. As much as he'd like to rip that bastard's face off, he wasn't the reason behind this small visit.

Laughter shook him from his thoughts as he turned his head in the direction of the sound. He felt his breath hitch in surprise at the female behind him. Cursing quietly, he managed to jump onto the tree branch above his head and crouch to hide his body. He seriously wished he wasn't stuck in this gigai, the body made it hard to get into a comfortable position and he really didn't want to get caught in this position. Finally adjusting himself, he turned his gaze to the girl walking past his location, completely unaware of his presence.

Her hair had grown longer; more luscious and thick than he remembered. Her eyes were wide and bright as she talked with the black-haired girl beside her. Her arms still flailed when she was excited and happy; something he was glad didn't change. The beige hat sat on her head, keeping her ears warm from the bitter cold. She'd gotten a bit taller, but still shorter than him, her breasts had grown a bit (he told himself it was hard not to look at them since they stuck out in any outfit she wore, as though he was trying to convince himself he wasn't a pervert.) And yet, despite seeing her chatting happily, he still noticed the loneliness she kept hidden beneath her smile. He swore to himself that if Kurosaki was the reason behind it, he would ram his hand through the bastard's stomach. Screw the Soul Society, anyone that messed with his woman was going to pay.

He blinked at the last thought. Sure, he had felt something else when he was around her, something he hadn't felt since he was alive, but she definitely wasn't his woman. He may have protected her in Hueco Mundo, uttered threats to any other espada or arrancar that even glanced at her for a period of time, but that didn't mean shit. She was still a fragile human that never belonged in his world. And yet, even though he was trying to come up with any excuse to not want to be with her, he still found himself stalking behind the two girls, completely unaware of him following.

He noticed the two girls stopped, causing him to panic a little before he hid behind the building in front of him. Orihime took a quick glance behind her, feeling as though she was being watched. She could've sworn she'd sensed his reiatsu trailing behind her but when she looked around, there was no sign of the blue-haired espada.

'I must be going crazy. He's not even allowed to be here. Besides, what reason would he have to come here in the first place?' Seeing Tatsuki's waving hand, Orihime blinked before looking at her best friend.

"Orihime... I'm sorry I can't be around this weekend. If I didn't have this tournament, you know I'd be staying with you."

Shaking her head, she gave her a smile, "You worry too much Tatsuki-chan. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but please don't worry about me. We all knew it was going to happen. You have to go. Just make sure to win for me okay?"

Tatsuki saw the look in her best friend's eyes before giving her a sad smile. Pulling the girl into a hug, she sighed, "You know I worry about you. There's no one to take care of you. Please don't be reckless while I'm gone."

Returning her embrace, she smiled, "I'll be fine Tatsuki-chan. Take care."

Taking a step back, she looked at her friend once more before turning to walk into her home. Sighing, the young healer began her trek home alone, still oblivious to the male following her . Pulling her jacket closer to her face, she silently groaned at the cold weather. Spring was supposed to be here but due to the extreme weather changes, they got snow in the middle of April. She was thankful to still be alive after the war ended, but she ended up falling back into her old routine. When Ichigo came around, she avoided him, and it wasn't supposed to happen. She was happy for her friend but a part of her was very upset that it wasn't her who made him feel that way. That's why she devoted her spare time to practicing with her powers to get stronger. She didn't want to be a liability or a burden to any of her friends.

She didn't want him to be around protecting her anymore.

'It's not his job to protect me. I have to protect myself now. He wasn't there in Hueco Mundo to save me. He was only there to put an end to the war.'

Scolding herself for thinking about it, she turned her gaze to the river, watching the water flow smoothly downstream with a small smile. No matter what she did, she couldn't stop the small flow of tears. She covered her eyes with her arm, blocking out the calm scene in front of her. The cold seemed to catch up with her as she shivered from the gust of wind. When she uncovered her eyes, she gasped when she saw the reflection of Grimmjow in the water.

"Look at me. I'm so pathetic. I must be so delusional in order for you to show up. Why would you anyways? I was only ever a burden during the war."

Hearing a low growl, she blinked before she stood frozen at his voice, "You keep talking like that Princess, and I'm gonna be very pissed."

She shuddered as she felt heat raise to her cheeks. Puffing them in annoyance she turned around to hit him in the face, "Why should I take that threat seriously? You're not..." She stopped when she felt her hand collide with his face, her eyes widened at the feel of smooth, tan skin beneath her fingers, "Real.."

He gave his signature smirk before slouching his posture, "Hate to disappoint you, but I'm very real. Whether you want to believe it or not is completely up to you. I could careless what you think."

Feeling her cool fingers against his cheek, he stood quietly as she ran her hand down his face, searching his eyes for any sign that she was dreaming. Shaking her head, she mumbled, "You can't be here... I was there when I heard you tell the Soul Society you weren't ever coming back."

He shrugged, "People lie, Orihime."

She smiled, "Now I know I'm really dreaming."

A frown formed on his face, "Why would you say that?"

He saw the sadness in her eyes and he really wanted to wipe the look out of them and replace them with the happiness he saw back in Hueco Mundo.

"You've never called me 'Orihime'."

Something in him snapped at her last statement. Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms before sealing her lips with his. A gasp escaped her lips, allowing him to plunge his tongue in her mouth, eliciting a groan from her throat. He growled as her arms snaked around his neck, bringing him closer to her. Her hand buried in his blue locks as his wrapped around her waist, sneaking underneath her jacket. His other hand rested in her hair, grabbing a fistful to keep her closer to him. Their cheeks burned but they didn't pay attention as their tongues danced in her mouth, trying to get closer.

Pulling away, both their eyes were a darker shade as they panted, regaining the breaths that were stolen. Crushing her to his chest, he rested his head on hers as she buried her face in his jacket.

"Now do you believe I'm real?"

Orihime shuddered at his deep voice, keeping her blushing face hidden. "Yes..."

She could feel the grin on her head, "Good."

Both relished in the silence as they continued to hug each other. The soft beating of her heart soothed the anger he felt for the substitute shinigami and his stupidity. Anyone who had a brain could see just how wonderful Orihime was. Not that he was complaining, after all, this meant she was his now.

"Grimmjow?" A low rumble in his throat told her he was listening, "Why are you here?"

Tightening his hold on her, he mumbled, "I read your latest letter. Though you failed to tell me that idiot Kurosaki was seeing that damn shinigami. Did you really think I wouldn't have found out?"

He could feel her shake slightly in his arms as she whispered, "I didn't want you to worry about me."

"Tch, you're such a handful. I would've came running anyways. Besides, you're not the only one feeling lonely."

Raising her head from his chest, she looked into cobalt blue eyes. She didn't see the loneliness until now, and it only made her feel more foolish. Here she was, crying and wallowing in her own misery, she failed to notice the same feeling in his eyes. She saw the frown form on his face as he brought a hand up to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Don't blame yourself, Princess. It was my fault for pushing you away. I could've came much sooner had I put my stubbornness aside. But I kept telling myself that you were better here. Hueco Mundo isn't a place for a girl like you. You're too lively to be living in that hell."

He saw her eyes widen, "You care about me?"

Lightly hitting her on the head, he scowled, "Of course I do! Who in their right mind wouldn't care about someone like you? You're clumsy, extremely fidgety and you never pay attention to where you're going. You're always putting the needs of others above your own. You never say no. Someone like you is very... Fragile." He saw her eyes dim at his words. Grumbling, he placed his hand below her chin and lifted her eyes to his, "But... Those qualities are the reason I'm standing here right now, saying all these things. Hollows like me can't feel love, but we do have instinct. And whether I like it or not, mine is telling me to keep you here. Every letter I got from you only made my hollow chest tighten. Even though I knew you were back home, I couldn't ask you to stay with me. That would make me too selfish. You have people who care about you here. And sure, there's me and Nel in Hueco Mundo, but we wouldn't be able to fill the void in your heart."

Sighing, he ruffled his blue locks as he watched Orihime process his words. He hoped she understood where he was coming from. He wasn't good with words, even when he was alive. Sure, he was a player who got any girl he wanted with a few words, but this was Orihime Inoue. The only girl in his existence to ever make him say such sappy words. As much as he hated sounding like a lovesick puppy, he knew he'd do anything for this special girl.

Feeling lips on his snapped Grimmjow from his thoughts as he let his eyes close, succumbing to her sweetness. He cupped her cheeks as he held her close, feeling the soft tears hit his hand. He pulled back to see her eyes bright and so full of love, he had to blink several times. The smile on her face was real, along with the look in her eyes.

He could feel his eyes soften at her look, and a small smile graced his lips.

"You know... When I first started writing those letters, I was a bit scared. I wasn't sure how you'd handle it, or whether you thought I was stupid for writing it. My brother used to say that writing letters was a way of communication and that you can get your feelings out better. He used to tell me that letters were more personal because you spent time thinking about what you wanted to say. He taught me to write them and after he died, I started to write a few to him. I thought it was better for me to write rather than speak but one day I just stopped. I chose to talk with him instead because I felt my hands would ache from writing so much. I never expected a response because I knew the dead were gone and I wouldn't see him again. But when Kuchiki-san came into our lives and showed us the Soul Society, I had hope he would get my letters, or he would send some to me. When I realized how foolish that sounded, I stopped writing altogether."

"Then a few weeks after the war was done, I felt the sudden urge to write. I didn't really know who to address it to, so I just started to write any thought that came to mind. I felt like I was writing in a diary and all the thoughts I felt were ones I wanted to communicate with someone.." Looking up at him, she couldn't contain the smile that beamed at her next words, "I decided to address them to you because I thought you'd get bored being the King. And I remembered reading in a few books about people who would write letters to their kings, speaking about their problems and wanting to be noticed. I guess mine actually worked."

Gripping his hands, she bit her lip before feeling her face heat up, "I guess what I'm trying to say is... I was really worried about you too and I care about you. A lot."

Unable to contain the smirk on his face, he picked her up and began spinning her in the air. He watched as her face lit up in excitement and he couldn't stop the laughter from escaping his lips at her carefree attitude. Feeling a bit dizzy, he stopped and pulled her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Giggling, she rested her head against his, inhaling his scent before pressing a tender kiss to his lips.

It was short but sweet and they looked into each other's eyes, both grinning like fools. They didn't speak but they knew the words being spoken,

Thank you.

A/N: God, this took so long to write. I kept thinking of different ways to end it and start it. I apologize if Grimmjow is OOC. But my god, I had to write him like that. It was so hard to not make him this incredibly sappy character.

If you have any prompts, please don't hesitate to send them my way!