I do not own Bleach.

~1 month later~

"Get up Starrk-ni!" Sakura threw open the door to Starrk's room. "Get up!" She placed her hand on her hips and glared at Starrk. He was on his back snoring on his bed. "It's almost noon."

Starrk opened one eye and looked at the girl standing in his doorway. "Wake me up in a week." Starrk threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light.

"GET UP YOU LAZY BUM!" Lilynette kicked Starrk off the bed as she growled at him. "Sakura wants to go outside today. And we can't go unless you are there with us." She glared down at her partner as he sat up and rubbed his chin.

Starrk cracked his neck as he massaged his hurting chin. "You didn't have to kick me out of bed. You little devil." He grumbled under his breath as he stood up. "Why didn't you ask Tier or Grimmjow?"

"Grimm-ni is busy training *cough* beating up people *cough*. And Tier-ne is on duty today." Sakura had grown close to the four Espadas. They felt more like family than guardians.

Most of the other Espada ignored her completely. But there were a few that despised her. She was never left alone. Not after the first incident.

*knock knock knock*

"I got it!" Lilynette bounded to the door and threw it open. "What do you want? Oh. It's just you." Lilynette walked away from the door with a bored expression.

"Just me? That's hurtful you little brat." A blue haired man walked into the room with his hands in his pockets. "I'm surprised Starrk is up. Thought you would still be in hibernation mode."

"I got woken up." Starrk stretched and yawned. He wanted to go back to sleep. "What brings you here?"

"Aizen called a meeting." The room grew very quiet at Grimmjow's words. "Everyone is to attend. And that includes Sakura-chan."

"Why am I included?" Sakura was very surprised. Why would she need to attend? She wasn't one of Aizen's Espadas.

Grimmjow shrugged, he didn't know why Sakura had to attend. "Aizen's orders." He turned around and walked back out the door.

They all quickly made their way to the assembly hall. They all leaned against the wall as they cast curious glances at the pile of cloth in the middle of the room.

"Sakura?" Everyone turned and watched as Tier approached them. "What is she doing here? My Fraccion weren't even allowed to attend."

"Don't know. Maybe Aizen will explain when he gets here." Starrk crossed his arms as they began to wait for Aizen to show up.

It took about an hour for all of the Espada to assemble. Then another half hour before Aizen walked in and sat on his throne. "It's good to see everyone here and in one piece. And it's good to see Sakura here. She is our comrade and needs to be welcomed. As with our newest comrade. Welcome back, Nelliel Tu Odelschwank."

The pile of cloth began to move and rise. Part of it fell back and revealed a mask that looked like a ran skull. It had a crack and some teeth were missing, but it was smooth and looked like it was meant to be that way. The mask sat atop the head of a woman with long green-blue hair. Her hazel eyes met with Aizen's without flinching.

"It's good to see that you have recovered your true form." Aizen smiled at the woman. He knew she was a friend of Kurosaki Ichigo. And that meant that she could be used against him easily. "With Your attacker dead, you have nothing to fear with rejoining the Espada ranks. But of course, Tier has already taken the rank of Tres Espada. So naturally you will be given a position worthy of you. And it appears that our Cuatro Espada was not worthy of his rank."

Sakura looked over at Grimmjow. He was looking at his feet while trying not to laugh.

"Won't you rejoin your brothers and sisters, Nelliel?" Aizen eyed the woman critically. He didn't expect her to agree right away. She would be up to something if she did.

"I do not wish to rejoin the ranks of the Espadas. And I would never submit myself to your control again." The venom in the woman's voice was hard to miss.

*crack*

Sakura cringed at the sound. She saw a whip lying on the ground in front of Nelliel. A few drops of blood were the only thing making sound.

Aizen dropped the smile off of his face. "Won't you accept my offer of Cuatro Espada, Nelliel?" Aizen saw the anger in the woman's eyes. But she held her tongue. He locked eyes with the blue eyed man in the shadows. The man knew what to do.

The whip pulled back into the shadows before launching at the woman again. But it didn't hit her. It was caught by a shaking hand.

"Why have you interrupted Antonio, Sakura?" Aizen was surprised she had acted. She didn't seem to be very outgoing when she had first arrived. But maybe he was wrong about her.

Sakura gulped as she dropped the whip. 'Let's see if all that pleading with Oba-sama has done me any good.' She bowed down in front of Aizen and rested her forehead against her hands. "I apologize, Aizen-sama. But Nelliel-san was about to accept your most generous offer."

"Oh? Aizen looked from the bowing woman to Nelliel. If Nelliel was surprised, she hid it very well. "Is this true, Nelliel?"

"Yes, Aizen-sama. She speaks the truth. I thank you for allowing me to return to your service." Nelliel bowed to Aizen, but her eyes were looking at the woman in front of her. Who was she? Why did she save her?

"You made the right decision, Nelliel." Aizen smirked proudly, he had won this round. He turned his eyes back to the brown haired woman. "Sakura, come with me."

Sakura could hear the others approach from behind. But she didn't look back. This was the consequence of her action. She would not show fear. That would just give him the victory. But that didn't mean she wasn't afraid. She took a deep breath as she followed the red haired Espada out of the room.

Please leave a comment or a question. Thank you for reading my story this far.