"does he sleep upside down?" Grimmjow snickered.

"..upside down?" Ulquiorra repeated with indignation, "that is absurd, I sleep on my back."

Orihime giggled and smiled at Kagome, "he's a hugger, can't sleep without-"

"I can sleep just fine, thank you." he interrupted, blushing despite himself.

"well, if your mate is anything like mine, I can't blame ya."

"I don't think she has night terrors, Grimmy."

"oh my goodness, Grimmy! that's so cute! I should have a nickname for you too!" Orihime

Ulquiorra grimaced and whispered, too low for the women to hear. "Grimmjow. as I told you before, I am Despair.."

unable to control himself, he belted out a snicker. "it ain't so bad, I get to embarrass her right back. ain't that right, Kitten?" Grimmjow pulls Kagome close to nibble on his throat.

"G-GRIMMJOW!" Kagome yelped as her face burned bright red. "I told you to not do that in public!"

he snickered, and winked at Ulquiorra. "it's all a give and take."

"don't make me braid your hair again." Kagome giggled threateningly..

"WOMAN!" Grimmjow barked, "don't you dare."

Kagome just about fell over in hysteric giggles.

Orihime leaned over and whispered to Kagome, "Ulquiorra hates it when I braid his-"

"Hime..." Ulquiorra spoke, warning clear in his otherwise monotone voice.

Orihime grinned and winked at her miko friend. "you have to visit some time. I'd love to hear about how you two met!"

"it is quite the story..." Kagome sweat dropped.

"Grimmjow, your hollow-hole.." Ulquiorra blinked, "it is getting smaller."

looking down at his gut, Grimmjow shrugged, "yeah, Kagome noticed it earlier, we don't know why it's doing that."

"Ulqui..don't forget to tell them." Orihime tugged on his sleeve worriedly.

"ah, yes..." he nodded, "thank you for reminding me."

"what's going on?" Grimmjow noticed the shift in mood, and hugged his mate close.

"I had not intended to tell you of this, but Hime insisted you knew what was coming, as she cares for your mate."

"what's going on?" Kagome asked, "is..something-someone coming for me?"

"I was told by Lord Aizen to discern you where-abouts in the soul society, Grimmjow."

"ok..." Grimmjow held his mate tight. no one would take her from him.

"I did not overhear very much as it had not interested me. however, what I did hear was, 'it would seem our cat has found himself a canary, I am excited to see what his little birdy has to offer, perhaps with a little prompting, she will sing for me'. Gin has expressed interest in her as well."

this had Grimmjow bristling. he pulled his mate close, and growled, "so, Aizen is planning on trying to steal my mate?"

"I believe so, yes." Ulquiorra nodded.

giving a deep snarl that showed his fangs, Grimmjow's eyes bled red, and his voice deepened a few octaves. "he'll have to go through me first."

the demonic echo on the panther's tone made Orihime flinch and cling tighter to Ulquiorra, she'd never heard anyone, not even a hollowfied Ichigo, sound so...DEMONIC, there was just no other way of putting it.

Kagome sighed, she kissed his cheek, and spoke softly, "Pantera, it's ok..I'm not only in the Seireitei, but I'm on Kuchiki property, even if Aizen managed to get into the soul society, and SOMEHOW got past the Seireitei gates, he won't get past the other captains, and don't forget...we defeated Naraku, we've seen worse. it's ok I'm not in any immediate danger."

her words managed to calm him down enough for Pantera to recede. "still, he has that stone thing." Grimmjow sighed

"the Hogyoku." Ulquiorra corrected.

"the Hogyoku? what's that?" Kagome wondered.

"it is a very powerful stone that can both grant the deepest wishes of those around it, and create arrancars."

"that...but that's not-" Kagome stammered, too shocked to properly think. "grant wishes? powerful stone? those make it sound just like the shikon jewel. but I made the right wish on it, I-I got rid of it..." she mumbled to herself, sounding panicked.

"he did say he CREATED the thing. maybe it's just some kind of freaky coincidence?" Grimmjow shrugged.

"maybe..." Kagome looked up at the couple, concern well written across her face, "do you know why he wants me?"

"I did not overhear much, but he feels that, as he referred to it, 'his cat found a canary, and he is excited to see what she has to offer.' he also wants, 'to try to make her sing for him'. normally I would not risk my relationship being revealed to Lord Aizen, but Orihime cares for you, miko. so I shall lend my power to protect you as well. however, that is only so long s I know Orihime is safe, as that is always going to be my first priority."

"thank you, I appreciate that." Kagome smiled.

suddenly, both men seemed to be very interested in the entrance to the gardens. "we've got company." "someone is coming" they both spoke softly, as if to warn their respective mate.

soon the girls could hear the sound of footsteps entering the gardens.

"that is our cue to leave, princess." Ulquiorra spoke softly. he scooped Orihime into his arms, and vanished with the use of his sonido.

"I'm telling you Rukia, I could definitely sense the reishi of two others in here." it was Rukia and Renji.

"KAGOME!" Rukia shouted, appearing in the same spot Ulquiorra had just been standing. "are you hurt?"

"huh? yes, I'm perfectly alright Rukia, what's going on?"

"we sensed the presence of two others in here just a moment ago."

"yeah, well." Grimmjow huffed, "there's no one here but the four of us."

"what's got you so grumpy?" Renji asked gruffly.

"I was just thinking about what Aizen will do when he realizes I not his little pawn anymore." he glanced at Kagome, "I won't let anything or anyone hurt my mate. I can't, not after I was so damn cocky with Naraku. I left her once, I'm not doing that again."

Kagome snuggled into his protective hold, so Grimmjow wasn't going to let them know Ulquiorra and Orihime had dropped by. then neither will she. "maybe it was just Pantera, he did come out for a little while."

"yeah...maybe.." Renji didn't sound entirely convinced, if only just enough to drop the subject. "that doesn't really explain the second spiritual pressure I felt, but if you don't want to tell me, that's ok."

(-x-)

a black butterfly fluttered down long ornate halls, and slipped into a large library of sorts, as an attendant was passing through them. it landed on the shoulders of a regal looking man, sitting at a desk, reading through a scroll. "it's been quite some time since I've been sent a hell butterfly." he hums to himself, glancing up from the scroll, to look at the tiny creature. "have you reason to not visit in person, my son?"

"my duties as captain prevent it, father."

"I assume you have reason for calling?"

"I wish to know more about a panther demon that claims to know you."

"a panther? I was only truly acquainted with one, so I must assume you refer to Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, yes?" he took in a deep breath, "I take it someone had revived him?"

"he is an arrancar, an espada, in fact. he claims to be defecting from Aizen's army" Byakuya's voice came from the tiny butterfly.

"ah, that mate of his was certainly a curious little human.."

"Father, can Grimmjow be trusted?"

"most assuredly, that is, if his years as a hollow have not changed him. tell me, how has he reacted towards his mate? towards threats made on her."

"just as ferociously protective as a dog."

"same as ever, I see.." Sesshomaru scoffs softly. "how has his mate seemed towards him?"

"absolutely love stricken. she cannot sleep without him nearby without waking the manor with night terrors."

"that miko has suffered a great deal during her travels in the feudal era. Naraku killed Grimmjow."

"Naraku? Father, wasn't he the spider demon your brother defeated?"

"no, Grimmjow defeated Naraku. Inuyasha has always been quite bitter over not delivering the final blow to the spider. they both died in the fight, and it was understandably devastating to the miko. your mother feared she would ravish the land in her grief."

there was a short pause, "I can see what you mean, father. it is a fool's wish to upset her, I've only seen a fraction of that first hand. before the panther returned, Rukia feared she would be consumed by her grief if left unchecked, she only ate when required, sleep would come when her body gave in to exhaustion."

Sesshomaru looked out the window at his mate, and felt a small wave of blinding rage at the thought of her possibly being taken from him so violently, he certainly would have ravaged the lands if he had been in the miko's place.

he saw her look up from the garden as if hearing someone call to her, a boy with bright orange hair pulled back in a pony tail and a puffy fox tail trailing behind him as he sat down next to her to assist in the garden, both were smiling brightly, and it brought warmth to Sesshomaru's heart. his mate, and his adoptive son, Shippo.

"thank you, Father, this has been very helpful." with that, the black butterfly fluttered away.