BE WARNED! MAJOR SPOILERS!!

Sorry it took so long, I kinda got bummed out with Bleach for some reasons Involving Uqui and this kind of went "Poof!" Don't wanna spoil. :)

Then I got caught up in my GrimHime fic and a story for Fictionpress. I'm a couple days late, Sorrrry!

BUT I HAVE RETURNED WITH A NEW CHAPTER!!! MAUHAHAHAHA!

This one is short only because after this, there's only one more and I didn't want to write it all in one whole chapter. :)

Enjoy.

Orihime

She stood, watching. They had fought for a couple minutes now. She was shaking.

This scared her. She cared for both men, oh so very much. Orihime loved one, and… in a way, still loved the other.

She knew one would be the victor. Orihime didn't know which she wanted to win. Well, actually, she wanted both to stay alive, both of the men to just to stop.

Orihime was seeing, but not comprehending as Ichigo Kurosaki and Ulquiorra Ciefer fought above her.

A green cero blast got her attention back on the fight. Half the wall blew away under it.

'Oh no… Ichigo…' Her eyes searched the smoke, begging it to move away quicker.

His face was bloody, but otherwise Ichigo was unscratched.

"Oho, so you can withstand my cero even without your mask… You've gotten stronger." Ulquiorra said. To Ichigo his voice would sound the same as ever. Orihime knew better. She spent enough time with him, she could tell what emotions he was feeling without his face changing. Ulquiorra's voice came out slightly slower, more distinct than usual.

He was frustrated. "Is it because you defeated Grimmjow? Or is it because of her?"

Ulquiorra looked at Orihime, and she couldn't meet his gaze, the gaze of the man she loved. How pitiful.

Ulquiorra

"That girl is already one of us. Even if you manage to rescue her, that won't change."

He looked away from her then. She would see his true form soon. She would understand. She would fear. Ulquiorra knew he would be the victor of this battle, but at the price of losing her.

It wasn't meant to be, him and her, he knew that. That didn't change that fact he loved her.

"Rescuing her is meaningless." Ulquiorra finished.

"That's not up to you to decide!" Ichigo yelled. Ulquiorra looked at him evenly.

'Stupid brat.' He thought as he spoke. "You're right. It was Aizen's decision."

Without giving his opponent time to retort, he lunged.

Usually, when Ulquiorra fights, he thought of only what he was doing. It was different now.

'Lunge. Hmm… He dodged. Swipe your sword. Orihime I watching… He blocked. Thrust your sword at him, there… This is best for her, to fear me…'

As Ulquiorra thrust again, Ichigo's hand grabbed his wrist. All he saw was a blur as Ichigo's sword swiped up to meet his chest. He jumped back, looking at the ground.

"I barely even nicked you… Hierro eh…?" Ichigo spoke as he looked up. "Your skin's pretty tough." Ulquiorra looked at his hand. "It is..."

"…but it looks like I can read you movements better than I could before." Without lowering his hand, Ulquiorra's cold green eyes looked at Ichigo's.

"What do you mean?"

"When we fought before, I couldn't read you movements at all… Not your offense or your defense or your reactions or speed or direction… I couldn't read any of it… it was like I was fighting a machine or a statue…"

'Good.' Ulquiorra thought.

"…but now I can. Whether it's because I've become more like a hollow…or you've become more human, I don't know." Ulquiorra's eyes get wider. Orihime's face once again flits though his mind.

In a movement he doubts the boy in front of him could fully see, he thrust his sword in the ground. The floor about him shattered. He also shoved Orihime from his mind.

'She's nothing but a nuisance in my mind. I'm not focusing on the task at hand. Killing Ichigo Kurosaki.' He thought as he spoke.

"I… have become more human? … I see." He spikes his reiatsu. "It must feel good to be able to follow me even If it's just as this level."

Without giving the boy enough time to think, He reformed above his head, his sword already coming down upon Ichigo.

'He blocked… and now he's trying to go the other way… foolish boy.' Ulquiorra appeared behind him, and as soon as Ichigo turned and swiped with his sword, he moved so fast, and reappeared behind him again. 'Too slow.'

Ulquiorra's sword came down… and hit a yellow-orange shield. His eyes got wider.

He would know this ability anywhere. Turning, he looked at Orihime as the shield broke.

"What are you doing?" He asked coldly.

Orihime

She stared at the man she loved, with fear. Orihime didn't fear for her life, no. She feared for Kurosaki's... and his. She didn't think. She reacted.

When she spoke, she also didn't think. "Huh?"

Ulquiorra turned his back fully on Ichigo. "I'm asking why you helped him."

This threw her off guard. She didn't know why. "Why? I…"

"Because he's your friend? Then why didn't you protect him from the first blow? Why did you hesitate?" Ulquiorra's voice got a little louder. She's sure Ichigo couldn't tell. She can. He was angry.

"I… I don't-" She stuttered.

His eyes narrowed a millimeter. "You don't know? Then let me tell you. You-"

"Shut up. I don't need to hear you go on about hesitation or whatever… none of that matters." Orihime saw out of the corner of her eyes Ichigo stand. Ulquiorra looked away from her, but her eyes stayed on him.

Only when Ichigo addressed her did she look at him.

She didn't hear the words. Just his voice, talking to her. "Kurosaki…" They seemed to be getting farther away.

She blinks, trying to see. They've begun fighting, she can tell by the sounds. She had an answer now, to Ulquiorra's question. She saved Ichigo because she loves him. She loves them both. Slowly, Orihime's vision cleared. Yes, she loves him, not the as much as she loves Ulquiorra, not any more. The same kind of love, but it's been over shadowed by a new one. She wasn't denying the fact now. Yes. She loved them both. Orihime's heart tore as she realized that fact.

She would die when he died, whoever that may be in this battle.

She backed against the wall.

"Ulquiorra… Kurosaki…"

The air shifts behind her and her heart stops. Just then, someone grabs her. An arm goes under hers, a hand over her mouth, and another one around her forearm on the other arm.

She lets out a whimper when she sees Lolly.

'Oh no… not her…'

Ulquiorra

He notices a second before Ichigo does. Said man turns and yells out her name.

"Inoue!" Ichigo shouted as Lolli ripped Orihime's clothes.

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed slightly, still as emotionless as ever, but… sad?

Just then, Ichigo yelled and turned his back on him.

'How idiotic.' Ulquiorra thought. 'Turning you back on your enemy.'

"Who are they!?" Ichigo yelled. Lolli grabbed Orihime and thrust her in front of her.

"Stay back!! One step closer and I'll pluck out her eyeball!" She yelled. Ulquiorra froze in place, although he hadn't even moved. Ichigo was still going towards them.

'No! He's not going to stop! He's going to get Orihime's eye plucked out!' Growling inwardly, Ulquiorra appeared in front of Ichigo, blocking his path and blocking his sword.

"Ulquiorra?" Lolli gaped. At least she wasn't paying attention to Orihime anymore.

Looking over his shoulder, Ulquiorra spoke to the girl. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not helping you." His eyes touched Orihime. "I'm helping her."

Still looking at Orihime, a sword came down on his.

"Outta my way!" Ichigo yelled.

"Make me." He looked back at the boy. "If you want to fight anyone else, you'll have to kill me first." A groan reached his ears as Lolli went back to beating Orihime.

"GET OUTTA MY WAY!" Ichigo yelled, but Ulquiorra was thinking about different matters entirely. 'Yammy's coming.'

Not a second later, the big man crashed between Ulquiorra and Orihime. After a couple seconds of shocked silence, Yammy straightened and spoke.

"I've come to help you." He said. Ulquiorra looked away from his prey.

"And when did I ask for your help, Yammy?" He asked, somewhat coldly.

"Don't say that. It looks like that Shinigami brat's gotten a lot stronger. Let me take care of him." Ulquiorra paused only long enough to think about how Yammy made him sick.

His eyes changed just slightly.

"I see. Looks like you're fully recovered." Ulquiorra turned back to Ichigo, still standing looking at Yammy. Of course he could turn his back on his enemy, only because there was no chance Ichigo could sneak up on him. "But your job isn't here. You can go back and sleep or you can go take care of the captains below."

"What? Don't be stingy Ulquiorra!" Yammy yelled, and Ulquiorra looks back at him.

"The way you get like this is your biggest weakness." He stated, before Yammy could retort, a stutter came from behind him

"Ya- Yammy?" He looked to the sound as Ulquiorra's blood froze.

'Of course they had to attract attention to themselves…' He sighed angrily in his head.

Yammy slapped one of the girls into the wall, and Ulquiorra's senses became super aware, and his mind sharp.

'A Quincy is coming….' He thought. 'Maybe Yammy here isn't that bad of an idea. He would take care of the girls first. By then, the Quincy might be here… or he might just ignore Orihime altogether…Deeming her too weak to care.' He knew Yammy wouldn't look past Orihime; he would just kill her because he could. Ulquiorra would stop him before that.

"Ulquiorra! What're these bitches doing here?!" Yammy yelled to his back.

"Ask them." Was his simple reply. 'This is a good plan, for the moment.' He thought.

He didn't listen to Yammy then. Only when he felt Lolli's pressure fade, would he begin to worry about Orihime. He felt quite proud of himself. He was still trying protecting Orihime while still accomplishing his goal. Chasing her away. When Ichigo is dead, she won't love Ulquiorra anymore. He was sure of this fact, and kept thinking it was what's best for her… She must not be bonded to such a monster as him.

Ulquiorra was brought out of his thoughts when Ichigo yelled and sprang forward again.

He once again blocked him

"What a pest. I said you'll have to beat me first." 'As if that will happen.'

Orihime

She wasn't sure which to keep her eyes on. The fight not two inches away from her, or Ichigo fighting Ulquiorra. Her eyes rested on the more important fight.

Ichigo thrust wildly, trying to get past him. Ulquiorra blocked, moved and attacked.

Neither got a scratch. In a twisted sort of way, it looked like dancing. Angry, dangerous dancing.

A loud crash got her attention, and almost reluctantly, she looked to it. Yammy had thrust Lolli threw a wall.

"What? I can't here you." He taunted. Lolli's head rolled back. "What? Dead already? How boring." He opened his fist and the body began to fall.

Orihime cried out, not because she objected to Yammy killing the girl, but in surprise that he just… dropped her… Cruel.

She immediately regretted saying anything.

"What? You say something?" The huge man turned on her. "Hey Ulquiorra, can I kill her now?"

She heard Ichigo yell, but nothing reached her ears. A shape of a boy appeared in the hole Yammy made in the wall.

Everything seemed to slow and dim in Orihime's eyes.

Ichigo screamed again, the words made no sense. 'Is Yammy falling? He's going so slow…'

A hand swipes at Ishida, and a booming yelling came from Yammy.

'Am I going into shock?' She thought to herself. 'But there's nothing to be afraid of… Ichigo is here… Ishida… Ulquiorra…?' That last name didn't come out like the others. It was a question.

An explosion close to her brought her back to her senses, and she realized she was lying on the floor, pressing her cheek to it.

Yammy was yelling at Ishida. For a second his words where garbled and far away. Orihime wondered if this was all too much for her, it seemed to be happening a lot in the past hour.

"If I hadn't shown up, you would've got to fight a little longer." Ishida shot an arrow into the ground Yammy hung off. It looks like he blew a hole right under Yammy's feet. 'So that was the explosion…' Orihime thought absentminded.

"Mala Suerte. I pity you." He said, as Yammy fell. Orihime tilted her head to one side, and averted her eyes to Ulquiorra and Ichigo.

Ishida was still talking. "I broke the pillars on every floor on the way up, so you'll probably fall all the way to the bottom." Slowly turning away from the gaping hole in the floor, he turned to look at Ichigo. They began talking.

The two didn't notice Orihime and Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra was staring straight into her eyes and her into his.

Nether looked away or blinked, held in each other's gaze. Something flickered in his eyes before he gained control and looked away from her.

She thought he looked… sad? Almost mournful.

"Take care of Inoue." Orihime's head reflexively looked towards where her name was spoken.

"If Inoue's Rikka can't shield her from my energy, shield her with your body." Ichigo said.

"I would have even if you hadn't asked." Ishida replied.

Orihime's eye flitted back to Ulquiorra for a second, to see him watching her. Not even a second passed and he looked back at Ichigo.

Orihime looked at her hands and shivered.

Ulquiorra

"Sorry to keep you waiting Ulquiorra. Here I go." Ichigo said to him. Ulquiorra was about fed up with all the interruptions, and glad his prey had finally acknowledged him again.

"This is the hollowfication you wanted to see." Kurosaki pretty much snarled at him. In a blinding fast movement, his hand whipped across his face, and Ichigo let out the howl of a hollow. Ulquiorra lifted his sword to block Ichigo's move when his sword cracked.

A little irked, Ulquiorra flipped around in a back flip and thrust himself out the hole in the wall.

Shooting a cero at Ichigo, Ulquiorra flew though the air, his eyes never leaving Kurosaki, even though they wanted too.

They wanted to look at the face of his beloved, the face that no longer belonged to him.

His eyes widened slightly when Ichigo blocked his cero with out a scratch, only to droop when he decided what he must do.

Going right past Kurosaki, Ulquiorra went up. He needed to get above the dome. The boy yelled after him, be he paid no heed.

Ah. Finally. He was here.

"Is this… above the dome of Las Noches?" Ichigo asked, just as Ulquiorra's foot landed ever as graceful on the top pillar.

"That's right." He responded, turning to the boy below him. "Espadas above cuatro are forbidden to unleash their power within the dome. Only two things are forbidden. That and using an espada's cero, the 'Grand rey cero'. Both are so powerful they would destroy Menos Noches. "

His eyes got a fraction wider as he held his sword straight in front of him and hissed his zanpakto's release. "Bind! Murus Hierago!"

"Ahh…" He sighed as the familiar black liquid rained about him. He still had no idea what it was. He loved this part, this form. It would grant him his goal, both of them.

Killing his prey and making her fear him.

Soon the black would stop, and the boy would be able to see him, and he would teach that boy fear. Fear and despair, and give him the gift of death.

Ulquiorra's eyes touched Ichigo then, and Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Don't tremble." He turned his head to the side, still watching Ichigo. "Don't break your stance. Stay aware of your surroundings. Don't let your guard down for an instant." Gathering power, he formed a green spear in his hand.

"Try not to die."