Grey rain falling from grey clouds onto grey streets...the whole world washed in shades of grey. Where did all the color in my life go? Orihime idly wondered as she slowly traced a rain drop trail with her finger as she looked out the window. Where did all the green go? Was it all stolen away from me along with the green of his eyes?

Orihime saw a small figure struggling it's way through the rain to her front door, grey umbrella keeping the grey rain at bay. When she heard her doorbell ring, she slowly slid down from the window and made her way to the door. She opened the door onto a shivering Rukia.

"Kuchiki-san." Orihime tonelessly said as she opened the door wide to admit the shinigami in. Rukia shook out her umbrella and then closing it, stepped into the apartment. "You didn't have to come see me on such a cold and wet day."

"I wanted to see how you were doing, Inoue." Rukia said as she quickly hugged the red-haired girl, not wanting to get her too wet.

"Sit down, Kuchiki-san and I will get you some hot tea." Orihime said as she hung Rukia's coat and umbrella up for her. Orihime then went into the kitchen and put the tea kettle onto boil. Then she looked in her cupboard for the tea bags. She searched each cabinet three times before she realized that she must have forgotten to buy some tea the last time she went to the store. When was the last time she had gone to the store? It must have been before she was kidnapped. Ever since then she had just eaten whatever food her friends brought her. When she felt like eating that was. But now Rukia was sitting cold in her living room and Orihime had nothing to give her to warm her up. What a pathetic hostess and friend she was. At that thought, her tears started falling and Orihime leaned back against the counter trying to cry silently so Rukia wouldn't hear. She must not have been as silent as she wanted to though because here came Rukia now with a concerned expression on her face.

"Inoue..." was all she was able to get out before Orihime threw herself into her friend's arms and wept.

"I...I...I'm so s...sorry, K...Kuchiki-san. I wanted to be a proper friend this time and take care of you. I need to g...get myself back together. I can't rely on you guys to care of me forever. I...I need to get a hold of myself, b...but it's really hard!" Orihime sobbed against the dark-haired Soul Reaper.

Rukia patted her back and said, "There, there, Inoue. You have been under a lot of stress lately. Most people probably wouldn't have survived what you did with their mind intact. You are incredibly strong. Did you know that?" Rukia pulled away and looked into her eyes. Then she gave her one last squeeze and said, "I have no doubt you will pull through this."

"I don't know, Kuchiki-san. I...I haven't really told anyone this, but I don't think I can be well again until I go back there and get him." Orihime said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"Inoue! What are you talking about?!" Rukia asked, her expression filled with worry.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, well in truth that is all I have been doing this past week. And...and I want to go back to Hueco Mundo and get Ulquiorra and bring him back here."

Rukia just shook her head in complete disbelief, unable to speak at such lunacy.

"I've even thought it through. I'll go to Urahara-san and ask him if he can help me get to the hollow world the way he helped Kurosaki-kun. And then once there I'll...I'll just look for him, bring back here and heal him."

"That's...that's your plan?!" Rukia asked, incredulous. "You can't do that, Inoue! You'll be caught! What made you think that such an idea would even work?! Besides Urahara will say no for sure!"

"Oh, I am not so sure about that, Kuchiki-san." Orihime said with a queer look in her eye. "If there is one thing I know about Urahara-san, it is that he will do the craziest things and often for reasons no one can even begin to fathom."

"Inoue...please. Don't do this." Rukia begged, grabbing her friend's hands.

"Kuchiki-san. What would you do, if you were me? If you had the power to bring back the person you loved, would you not do it?" Orihime asked earnestly. Then quieter, "How could I not bring him back?" Orihime then noticed that Rukia had gotten very quiet and looked up at her. There were tears in the shinigami's eyes too.

"I...I don't know what I would do, Inoue. And I...think...I am glad that is a choice I never will have the opportunity to make." Rukia sadly sighed, eyes distant and pained. "But Inoue, you need think this through more carefully. Even if there is some way to bring Ulquiorra back, and that is a huge "if", what will you do with him? Where will he live? Have you forgotten what he is? How could you knowingly bring a hollow here and put all of Karakura in danger?!"

"You speak of him as if he was some kind of wild animal. He isn't, you know. Besides, none of that matters. My mind is made up. I...I was thinking about asking you to come with me, Kuchiki-san. But I totally understand if you don't want to." Orihime said. "I'm not going to tell any of the others though. I don't think they would understand...they haven't loved and lost the way you have." Orihime searched Rukia's face trying to see some hint of what she was thinking written there.

"I can't stop you short of imprisoning you in your own house, can I? I would do it too, if it wasn't for the fact that we just freed you from a prison. I don't want to lock you up again, even if it would be for your own good." Rukia said, eyes glittering with a touch of mischievousness.

"Oh Kuchiki-san! I knew you were understand!" Orihime said, squeezing her tight.

"I...wouldn't really...call it understanding, Inoue." Rukia gasped in her embrace. "Just an intent to see you through this as safely as possible."

--------------------

Orihime knocked on the shop's door and then stood back and waited nervously. Her eyes shifted over to Rukia a couple of times, but she couldn't read whether Rukia was nervous or not under her calm exterior. After a moment the door opened onto a huge man in dark glasses.

"Is...is Urahara-san in today, Tessai-san?" Orihime asked gripping the edge of her skirt in her sweaty hands.

Tessai looked over Orihime and Rukia impassively and then said, "Yes he is. Come on in. Just wait here and I will get him."

Orihime stepped out of the sun into the dark and cool interior of the shop. As she waited, she curiously eyed a shelf lined with jars filled with what appeared to be bright candy. She tried to imagine what each one would do if she sucked on it. "I bet that red one there would suck my spirit out and allow me to run free without my body." she whispered to herself lightly touching the glass with her finger.

"Naw! That one really is just candy!" a small but loud voice piped up right behind her. Orihime let out a little scream and turned around to find a small red-haired boy with both a broom and a scowl. "You want to try it?" he asked her, scowl brightening into a wicked grin.

"Now Jinta, you know if she even so much as licked that one, she wouldn't be able to leave the bathroom for a week." came a musical voice from the end of the aisle. Orihime turned to it and saw a disheveled blond-haired man coming towards them adjusting his hat. Once he reached her side he cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered confidentially in her ear, "I know that from experience." Then he winked and turned to Rukia. "Ah! Kuchiki-san! A pleasant surprise as always!" he grinned at her. "What brings you two lovely ladies into my humble store this bright morning?"

Orihime nervously looked at Rukia and saw the Soul Reaper slightly nod at her. "Um...uh...Urahara-san? Is there someplace a little more private we can talk?" she asked, eyes darting to Jinta and Tessai.

"Of course! Of course!" Urahara said, lazily waving at them to follow him into the back. Orihime followed him into the storeroom which was even darker than the store had been. She heard Urahara shuffle some boxes around for them to sit on and she did so with a murmured thank you. She waited for her eyes to adjust a little and then looked at Urahara who had a weird gleam in his eye as he looked back at her. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your recent little "trip" to Hueco Mundo and your escape there of, now would it?" he asked her, his intent unreadable.

"Uh...why yes it does, sir." she said and then began her story. It took longer and was more difficult to tell than she thought it would be since she felt it necessary to add in the parts about falling in love, so he could see just how determined she was to save Ulquiorra. She had to pause and look to Rukia for encouragement quite a few times, especially at the end where she got to the part where Ulquiorra sacrificed himself so that she and her friends could get out safely. "And that is why I am going to go back and get him, but I need your help to make it possible." she finished, trying to sound determined.

"I see..." Urahara quietly said and then fell silent. Orihime squirmed on the box trying to wait for his answer with patience. Then when he spoke again what he said was so unexpected that it took her a moment to figure out what he was saying. "Invisibility. Yes, that is the key! Not only in body, but in reiatsu as well." he said getting up and shifting boxes around clearly looking for something. Orihime's eyes darted to Rukia, but the Soul Reaper just shrugged and shook her head slightly. "Here it is!" came the shopkeeper's gleeful voice after a moment. He came back to them and gave each a small wrapped bundle. "Now don't open it yet. Come back here tonight...let's say...oh...midnightish and I will open the portal to Hueco Mundo. I'm not going to give you long though. So more than likely this little mission of yours is going to fail." Urahara said looking straight at Orihime. "Las Noches is huge as I am sure you remember, Inoue. I doubt you'll be able to find him (or what is left of him, more like), but I will give you your chance."

Tears started falling before Orihime could stop them and she tightly hugged Urahara and said, "Thank you so much! You don't know what this means to me."

She pulled away and saw that weird glint in his eye again and he answered her, "Oh, I do know. Now be here tonight and bring those bundles with you!"