Undeniable

icy-chan

SUMMARY: Ulquiorra swore to protect her. He didn't understand why until that moment…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from BLEACH. If I could, I would have taken Toshiro Hitsugaya as my rightful husband. And I would give Ulquiorra a chance to marry Orihime.

NOTE: I have rewritten this fiction. The format is still the same, but I have fixed some errors I found. If you have read this before, you know there was a chapter two and three, but according to one of the reviewers, they were rather unnecessary, so I deleted them. Instead, I just made an epilogue. Not really a brand new chapter.

Moreover, I gave more justice to the ending of this… Please check the epilogue :)

RANDOM RANT: I really like (love) this pairing! I felt really great that they are gaining support now. Although the Espada is dead, I could still feel his presence. :) I couldn't forget the epicness of the moment when Orihime slapped Ulquiorra, and when realized Orihime was his heart. Too bad Kubo Tite didn't make him last for long. I mean, it would make the story very complicated if Ulquiorra would begin to love one of the focused characters…

REMINDER: Please enjoy this reworked fic… REVIEW afterwards.

The Hero

She didn't matter to him anymore. His responsibility for her had ended. Ever since she left Hueco Mundo, she was free to do whatever she wanted.

Without him.

He was just Ulquiorra Cifer, the Espada who was bound to obeying Aizen's orders. If his master would tell him to stop, he will. He was just his puppet anyway.

No, he was not a hero.

However, Ulquiorra knew that no matter what happened, the woman still had become something to him. Somehow, she managed to startle him, and his whole character.

Even he could not deny this.

Orihime Inoue was his responsibility, but that was in the past. Now, she was free. He could not do anything about it. He should not care about this woman anymore.

Yet, he couldn't explain why he was there.

He looked at the crying girl in front of him. Her hands covered her eyes, water flowing out of them. He had never seen someone cry like this. He didn't know what to do.

He wasn't even sure if it was still right to talk to her. After all, they've already parted. Everything now between them is illegal…

"Ulquiorra-kun…" the oange head said. The girl easily felt his reiatsu.

It disturbed Ulquiorra's thoughts. He suddenly felt strange when he heard his name coming out of her lips. It was… refreshing. He was known for being emotionless, so he couldn't comprehend the feeling. He kept his cool. He didn't want to show to the woman the apparent "joy" he felt after that.

He kept his composure. He looked towards the woman, and placed his hands on his pockets. "So, we've met again, woman."

Orihime Inoue looked up. Her eyes were already red, but still full of tears. She tried to smile. "It's nice seeing you again, Ulquiorra-kun."

"Don't fake a smile," Ulquiorra sharply said. He diverted his gaze towards something else. Anything but her. "Don't pretend you're happy."

Inoue wiped her tears. She laughed, while trying to catch her breath. "I am a fool…"

"Don't speak while you can't." He returned his green eyes on the shriveled girl before him.

Then, there was silence. Orihime desperately tried to follow this Espada's orders. She calmed down a few moments later. She didn't know why her guardian in Hueco Mundo was there, standing a meter from her. Nonetheless, she felt extremely happy that he was there.

This idea helped Orihime gain composure.

"Now, speak." It was an order from Ulquiorra. There was very evident strictness on his voice.

"What do you want me to say, Ulquiorra-kun?"

"It doesn't matter. I am bored. Kill my boredom or I'd kill you," he threatened.

Inoue laughed. "Tell me, Ulquiorra, why are you here? To kill me or to kill your boredom?"

"It doesn't concern you. I am the one who told you to speak, not the other way around. So, tell me why you're crying, woman."

Orihime shifted her position. "Stop calling me 'woman'. Orihime is just fine."

Ulquiorra didn't know how to reply to this. Thankfully, the girl didn't wait for an answer.

She giggled, as she looked at him. "Do you really want to know why?" The girl suddenly blurted out a very shrill laugh. Tears began falling out of her eyes again. "Ichigo… He said he doesn't love me the way he loves… Rukia! I pretended not to care, drank something and ran away to this freaky place! I can't hate Rukia, you know… she is my friend…"

He observed her as she moved and spoke. Not the normal woman he knew. She was really drunk, he guessed. He was aware that a drunken person couldn't control his/her actions and emotions.

Looking at her like that disgusted him. She looked wasted and weak. However, Ulquiorra still managed to smirk after hearing her explanation.

"So, did Ichigo throw you away?

Inoue hid her face behind her hands. She just nodded in response.

Ulquiorra sighed. He stepped back. "Do you want him done, eh, woman?"

The girl became alarmed and stood up. "NO! I… I love him. I don't want him hurt… maybe he's even happy now…"

"I can't understand you, woman. He hurt you, rejected you… but you're still ready to protect him? What kind of abuse is that?" Ulquiorra told her.

Orihime stepped forward, furious. Different emotions showed at the same time in her eyes. "The heart abuses. This damn heart doesn't know when to stop beating when it needs! This freakin' heart can't understand how painful it is to KEEP ON LOVING HIM even though HE ALREADY LOVES SOMEONE ELSE!" She pounded her chest.

"So, are you running away from your problem, that's why you are here?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I am not running away! I am just… just…" The woman tried to answer the Espada's question. Unfortunately, she couldn't.

Ulquiorra scanned the environment. The place was an old warehouse. It was very dark and dusty. There was a bright moon outside. The moonlight could hardly enter the area because of the structure of the building. There were pieces of cement everywhere. There were also old and forgotten things.

In some way or another, the place gave the cuatro Espada the aura of the cell Inoue was in. He could feel that she was still hoping someone would save her from there…

Suddenly, Orihime's voice emerged. "I am just… trying to accept… he isn't the one for me…" Inoue said as tears pour down again. "Even though… it tears me apart…"

"Why?" Ulquiorra inquired, pulling his hands out of his pockets.

"What do you mean?" Inoue asked, wiping her tears.

The Espada took a deep breath. "Why are you crying over a shameless man like him? Why are you wasting your time over Ichigo, who you know won't give…?"

Before Ulquiorra could finish, Orihime has already slapped him. Yes, the same infamous slap. "Shut up!" she said, "You can't understand anything I'm saying 'cause you're TOO melancholic! You haven't felt like this before!"

"What do you mean by that 'feeling'?"

"You know…!" Inoue fought hear tears from falling, "when you see him smile makes your heart leap with joy… when you see him cry shreds you into pieces…"

Ulquiorra looked intently at her. "So?"

"Every time you're with him, makes you very happy that you don't want him to disappear… Every time he faces danger makes you want to sacrifice yourself for him to live…" Inoue continued.

Ulquiorra huffed. He didn't know it would get this emotional.

"Just the picture of him makes your heart beat… His presence keeps you alive… He is the one thing that could make you feel different…"

Ulquiorra adjusted his position. He placed his hand on his sword.

"And, every time he is being hurt… that you want to kill the person who hurt him just for revenge of what happened to him…" Inoue inhaled, "that he became the only reason for you to still breathe… the only reason for you to still have life."

Ulquiorra turned around from her,

"You know… this feeling of love all along makes you want to have him all for your own. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it is." Inoue concluded, sighing.

"I'm going now." Ulquiorra said. "I already have to kill Ichigo. I'm just wasting my time while I stay here."

"Whay? Ulquiorra, why do you have to kill him? Is it because of Aizen's orders?" Inoue stated.

"No."

"Then… you don't have any reason to…"

Suddenly, Ulquiorra disappeared. A hand then came from behind, and covered her mouth. Inoue tried to break free, but she can't.

"I have my reasons, woman." Ulquiorra said. "Tell me, is the reason 'you' enough?"

The orange-haired stopped moving. She was rather shocked.

"You told me that love means protecting the closest thing in your heart… who is the person who keeps you breathing…"

Ulquiorra put his hand down.

"That you want her all for your own, no matter how selfish it is…" Ulquiorra watched as the girl slowly faced him. "Tell me, Orihime, do you think… I… love?"

He didn't understand the meaning of the heart until that moment. He raised his right hand and reached for his face.

He couldn't save Orihime from the loneliness she was feeling, but he knew he can. After all, she had already saved him.

Uquiorra was not a hero… but let's say, for her, he could be.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: It is still cheesy, but I fixed the dialogue and flow of the story. Do you still like it? Or did it turn to ultimate hatred? Please review :]

By the way, I fixed the major OOC-ness. I really hope it was fixed.