I do not own Bleach or Phantom of the Opera.

Well folks, this is it, the end of the story. Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and leaving reviews up to this point. Special thanks to everyone who's followed and favourited; 1piecegirl, , Alice1nBlunderland, Anemone Iris Sidera, BurnTheRose, Edeansnow, Hellsing's reaper, Krystalana, LeeHimeChan, Leigh4, Lockdown00, Lonelyphantom021, Makuro767, MegaSpSolarFlare, Odd,JABE, OwlStorm17, RageGoat, Ray Akaba 210, RedAmberLady95, RoaringGoat, Shaeril McBrown, TheAvaterRoku, WhiteDragonAshely10, .99, eve9613, golden-eyedwolf842, lady madland, lonew9128, otakumeera, rojy, therecei3r, ulquihime7980.

And an extra special thank you to my most wonderful beta reader Shi-Daisy, I can honestly say I wouldn't have gotten this far with out her. Thank You for the music.

The opera, Don Juan Triumphant, as performed by the Las Noches opera house went down in Barcelona history, not only for the obvious reasons, but because it was the last show that the stage of Las Noches would ever see. Even if Las Noches' reputation could be salvaged after the haunting and the tumultuous affair involving the police the financial blow was too much.

For reasons unknown to the public, after the abrupt ending of the opera, the heavy red curtains had caught fire, causing immense damage to the walls and ceiling surrounding the stage. Insurance should have been able to salvage the building, but that was when Kisuke Urahara made a most unpleasant discovery. Since himself and his partner had taken ownership of Las Noches, no payments had been made for insurance, property tax or repayment of loans. Urahara had managed the money in regards to payment of staff, the issues of tax and insurance he had foolishly trusted to Aizen.

The second manager of Las Noches, Sosuke Aizen, had been seen by civilians, leaving Las Noches before the opera began. When the police searched for him the day after the night in question, they found his house empty, his and his wife's clothing gone, and the assets of Las Noches liquefied, most likely in his pocket. To this day the whereabouts of Sosuke and Anna Aizen remain unknown.

With the doors of the opera house closed, and destined never to reopen, Kisuke Urahara bankrupted himself trying to make sure all his former employees wouldn't end up homeless now that they had lost their work. It was at this point that his long time lover Yoruichi rolled her eyes and called in a favour form her somewhat estranged family. This was also the moment she unceremoniously revealed herself to be abdicated Persian royalty.

"The court life was never really my thing." Was the only thing close to an explanation she would give when her friends assaulted her with questions.

Her younger brother had wired her enough money to tie over all the debts that were hanging over Las Noches on the condition that she would return home. She accepted the money, said no thank you to moving back home but promised to visit for Nowrooz. Once business was settled, Urahara, Yoruichi and Soi Fon bid a fond farewell to the Kuchiki and Kurosaki famalies before traveling to France in hopes of starting a new venture.

The police department came under some scrutiny from the press, the fire and the ensuing panic from the theater goers, not to mention that they hadn't even managed to arrest the so called Phantom. Detective Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Abari had made numerous attempts to cover up the lack of arrests, the issue was firmly resolved when Captain Kuchiki himself held a press confrence where he clearly stated, once and for all the truth of Las Noches. The Phantom was nothing more than a man in the shadows, using illusion and fear tactics to manipulate a local business and its workers. There were several deaths in the history of the opera house that could most likely be traced back to him, but thankfully on the night of the attempted capture, no one had been hurt. And while it is true that they had been unable to arrest the unknown man, and had been unable to locate the body once the fire had been extinguished and the public calmed, there was no possible way a human could have survived that fall.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki retired form the police force two months later, feeling that the Phantom incident had proven him not up to the task of leading the cities defence. Despite heartfelt protests from all his co-workers he promised them that his mind was made up and that he only wished that his successor would do better than he had. According to Rukia he's quite content with retired life, when he isn't being routinely visited by his friends and family, he finds solace in maintaining his garden and practicing his calligraphy. He still get letters from Yoruichi, teasing him about 'quitting while he was ahead'.

Harribel had taken the money she'd saved over the years, sold her own home and purchased a small estate just outside the city, which she converted into a dance school. Many of the former ballet dancers and chorus members of Las Noches stayed there for the first few months after Las Noches closed, until they were able to find new employment or gather the money to travel back to their families. Nel stayed on at Harribel's academy as a dance instructor, (of course Harribel had to teach her how to dance first), and a recovered Starkk took up the position of in house music teacher, in exchange for his daughters tuition.

Nemu and Ishida were amongst the last to leave Barcelona, after pointedly dodging his fathers unspoken invitation to move back home and take up the medical trade, Ishida took up a part time job doing alterations at Riruka's dress parlor. What had started as a part time job just doing alterations and repairs soon turned into a full time job helping Riruka make her custome order dresses, by the the time they had become a joint team, designing and sowing together, the little parlor had become the hottest spot in town for clothing. So when Riruka announced her intentions of moving her business to the fashion empire that was Milan, it came with an unspoken invitation for Ishida to come with her, to turn the one woman show into a partnership. He accepted on the spot, and before he could make an outspoken (and blushing) offer to Nemu for her join them she was already stating her desire to come. Nemu may not have been a seamstress but no one could model Ishida's dresses like she could.

After Las Noches closed it's doors, Grimmjow had decided he was done with the theater game (though he didn't phrase it quite so politely). As soon as he'd gathered his things together he had enlisted in the military, all the remaining members of his little gang were quick in following his example. Grimmjow spent the rest of his days terrorizing his enemies and raining a special kind of hell onto his fellow soldiers once he was promoted to officer. Despite his exclamations before enlisting that he'd be happy to never see any of his former co-workers again, he still found himself being plagued by letters from them when he was shipped out, namely from Nel and Harribel, though there was the occasional 'glad to hear your not dead yet' card from Ichigo.

The first real happy event came the following winter, when Ichigo and Rukia finally got married. They had originally only wanted a small gathering to celebrate their nuptials, just family, but with everything that had happened they decided that maybe everyone could do with a happy occasion. What had originally been planned to be a small affair in the Kuchiki gardens had been moved to an outdoor event in the country side. The guest list now included not only both the bride and grooms family, but also their Las Noches friends and nearly the entirety of the Barcelona police force. They had rented out a town hall for the reception and when snow had started to fall the night before the wedding, it looked like they would need to have the ceremony there too, but Rukia insisted they get married out doors even if the snow didn't stop from now till then, she said she loved the idea of receiving both her engagement ring and her wedding ring on a white winter. Ishida and Nemu had made a brief return from Italy so that Ishida could be Ichigo's best man and Nemu could take her place alongside Nel as Rukia's bridesmaid. And even if her heart was still broken inside her chest, nothing was going to stop Orihime from being her best friends maid of honor. Urahara and Yoruichi were unable to attend, but they did send the most outrageously sized wedding gift that both Ichigo and Rukia were a little afraid to open.

The bride and groom repeated the promises they'd made to each other when they'd gotten engaged.

"Anywhere you go, let me go too."

"Love me, that's all I ask of you."

And they kissed as man and wife amongst a flurry of snowflakes. And quickly hurried inside along with the rest of the party because it was seriously cold outside.

And as for Orihime? For her things took a bit longer to start over. After she was sent home from the hospital and questioned by the police (she barely had five words to say), she moved into Harribel's estate, much to her shame she didn't take part in helping renovate the place, nor did she offer to assist in classes when Harribel began getting applications for students. She found there was little she was able to do in those early days. The most she got up to was cleaning, form the top to the bottom of the house she scrubbed windows walls and floors. But she left any room where she could hear music playing, and she barely spoke to anyone. The thing Orihime felt most shame over was that in the months leading up to their wedding, she couldn't stand to be around Ichigo and Rukia, she couldn't stop the bitter jelousy from curling in her stomach when she saw how happy they were together, how unimpeded their love was.

This behavior continued until one morning when Harribel ordered Orihime out of bed, bundled her up in a heavy coat and took her down to the seaside. To this day no one else knows what Harribel said to Orihime that day, but when they came back the red haired girl seemed tired but unmistakably more serene. She was still a long way from being the bubbly girl she once was, but after that day she began to brighten, and managed to raise her spirits just in time for her best friends' wedding. Orihime began helping out with classes, and even extended her knowledge of piano playing with Starkk's help. Things continued on like that until one evening at dinner, when Orihime announced her plans to depart.

"Have you found a new house?" Nel asked distractedly, still chewing her food.

"No, I actually plan on leaving Spain." Orihime explained.

That promptly drew everyone's attention. The rest of the meal was spent bombarding her with questions and inquiries. She explained to everyone that after looking over her savings, Orihime had made the decision to go travelling, she wasn't sure when she'd return to Spain, but even if she ran low on funds she had the theater training to pick up work wherever she needed it, plus Ichigo and Urahara had promised her reference letters should she need them. This seemed to placate her friends enough that they were no longer trying to convince her to stay. After the fuss was over, Harribel calmly asked Orihime where she planned to go first.

Orihime smiled in a sad and gentle way, "I think I would like to see Persia."

::::

Over the past two years Orihime had set herself something of a goal. She had made her way around most of Europe and some of Asia, but she had avoided one specific location until now. Orihime had tried to do something new, even if it scared her, in every place she traveled to, that was how she started singing again. She had been in Venice during a summer festival, figures she would wind up in the Republic of Music. In typical Venetian fashion there was a masquerade theme to it. She'd been happily roaming the streets until someone had found herself trapped at amidst a crowd of tipsy party goers, the people around her all burst out into a folk song, and between the crush of bodies, and more than a few drinks Orihime'd had herself, she found her own voice adding itself to the mix, she didn't really know the words and her voice was weak from lack of practice, but nobody cared or noticed. For a long time she'd been afraid to sing, afraid of the memories that might resurface. But all she was reminded of was how much joy music had brought her.

After that Orihime started singing professionally again, she never took up any permanent positions, and so far she had only preformed with bands and in concert halls, but she was about to change that. It was the one place she thought she'd never return to, but that morning she had boarded a train in Roermond and was now watching through the window as the train pulled into Dusseldorf.

She had read about the construction of a new opera house in the city a few months ago, and decided that after everything else she'd been through, it was time to exorcise this ghost.

The weather was pleasant, so Orihime decided to walk from the train station, her suitcase was heavy and the crowds were bustling, but she'd gotten used to that kind of thing. After twenty minutes of walking (she only got lost once), Orihime finally spotted the top of the building she was looking for amongst the skyline. The Silbern Opera House had gained a reputation already, thanks to its unusual architecture. The main building was made out of a smooth grey concrete, the first floor being a large rectangular shape that rested upon a series of thick columns, with another rectangle raised above it, the floor in between them was decorated with slitted windows. On either side of the building were curved spires, that looked rather like a pair of ribs, they were decorated with glass panels which reflected natural light onto the surface of the building. Something about the minimalism of the architecture, it actually reminded Orihime of Las Noches. Shaking her head before the homesickness had a chance to settle in Orihime made her way inside.

Urahara had put in a good word for her with the Opera's manager, so she soon found herself in the office of one Ywach Bach. He was an older man, with long hair that was so dark it blended in with his black coat, and a mustache that engulfed the lower half of his face. The Silbern was still assembling cast members for their first major production, Beauty and the Beast, so Orihime was promised an audition spot along with the female chorus members the following morning.

After leaving the office, Orihime was given a tour of the main theater by Ywach's assistant, a man named Jugram Haschwalth. Haschwalth was closer to Orihime's age, though he was taller and had blonde hair that was almost her length, he wore a rather serious expression and carrying a thick folder under his arm, but Orihime felt that was just because he was the type to be diligent about his duties. In fact he reminded her a bit of Ishida, she did her best to stifle a giggle at the comparison.

He lead her into the main theater, it was a grand space, not in the same way Las Noches had been, but the smooth white walls and silver moldings around the stage evoked the feeling of being in a winter palace, Orihime felt a little giddy, imagining what it would feel like to sit amongst the audience with the lights down while the spotlights glinted off the silver fixtures. She and Haschwalth weren't alone in the theater, apparently the auditions for the male lead of the upcoming production were being held.

On stage the was a large, bald, muscular man, with what could only be described as a spectacular mustache. He sang along with the tune of an unseen piano, his voice was a rich baritone that filled up the whole space, even Haschwalth paused in his tour giving duties to listen.

"No beauty could move me

No goodness improve me
No power on earth, if I can't love her
No passion could reach me
No lesson could teach me
How I could have loved her and make her love me too
If I can't love her, then who?"

The senses are an amazing thing, without any prompting, something as simple as a smell or a taste, or a sound can volley you back in time, to a memory you'd been trying not to think about for years. That brief section of piano that bridged the chorus and the next verse suddenly had Orihime grasping for the nearest seat as her mind suddenly swam with visions of a glassy lake covered in fog, of waking up in a comfortable bed that wasn't her own, hearing a beautiful song being played by someone both familiar and faceless.

"Mask de Masculine. He comes on high recommendation from Berlin, he'll most likely be- are you alright?" Haschwalth asked, when he finally turned back and saw Orihime's state.

Orihime swallowed and tried to straighten herself, "Yes, yes!" She insisted, "just a dizzy spell. Um, you said the production was Beauty and the Beast, but I don't believe I've heard this song."

"This isn't the usual pantomime," Haschwalth explained as he guided Orihime to sit down. "It's a new version, a proper opera to unveil to the public along with our establishment."

Orihime could hear a touch of concern in his voice, meaning she wasn't doing a very good job of covering up the storm of emotions she was currently under siege of. "I see, is the composer from Spain perhaps? Only I could swear I've heard the melody before."

It was a halfway explanation, thankfully though it wasn't as desperate sounding as she felt, Please, she pleaded mentally, give me an answer that will put my heart at rest.

"I'd be surprised if you'd heard it before." Haschwath replied bluntly, "As far as I'm aware he's new to the composing game, it's strange really, the only real reason Mr. Bach even considered the manuscript was because the composer is also our architect."

Orihime's head snapped up, "The architect? Of the Silbern?" Of the building that had reminded her of Las Noches.

"Yes." Haschwalth replied a little hesitantly in the face of her sudden attention.

"Is he here?!" Orihime yelped jumping to her feet. The sudden outburst even caught the attention of those on stage, not that she cared.

"No, no he's not here. He's actually never stepped foot in the building as far as I know, he makes all communications to Mr. Bach through written correspondence."

Orihime deflated.

"Actually..." Haschwalth rummaged through the folder under his arm and pulled out a manila folder, "I was going to deliver this to his house later."

Orihime rose up again, "So his house is near by?"

Looking down at the address on the envelope, "I believe he's currently renting out the penthouse at-" Haschwalth was cut off by Orihime ripping the envelope and shoving him out of the way as she began to sprint down the aisle towards the doors.

"Icantakethistohimthankyou!" She spat out in a rush before diving through the doors, after a moment she stuck her head back into the theater, "See you tomorrow!"

Once she was finally gone, Haschwalth tossed a confused look at Mask, who just shruged and told him, "Prima Donna's."

::::

Out in the streets Orihime practically jumped in front of the nearest carriage, clambering inside and pointing to the address on the envelope, feeling to breathless to politely ask for the driver to take her there. The driver took her there anyway, faster than he normally would have, mainly out of the desire to get the crazy woman out of his carriage.

Once he pulled up in front of a brick and mortar building the size of a train station, Orihime scanned all the windows along the uppermost floor, as if he would just be sitting there. Making her way through the glass doors, Orihime made her way to the man sitting behind the desk in the lobby. His hair was a strange shade of red, it almost looked pink.

Taking a deep breath, Orihime stepped up to the desk and cleared her throat to grab the mans attention, he lifted his spectacled eyes up to her face.

Suddenly nervous Orihime held out the manila folder like a shield, "Ah, yes, I have a delivery from the Silbern opera house."

The man in glasses reached out a long thin arm and pinched the bottom of the envelope between his thumb and pointer finger. "Antother one? I'll see Mr. Schiffer gets it."

Schiffer, So he's kept his name.

Feeling the envelope slip from her grasp, Orihime gripped it tighter, tight enough she worried for a second the she'd rip it.

"I have instructions to hand it to Mr. Schiffer myself." She lied.

"Alright," He pointed to the stairs, "up you go then."

Cold sweat gathered on the back of Orihime's neck, after everything, after all this time, just knocking on his door felt wrong. And like a slap to the face, the thought struck her, what if he doesn't want to see me? Or what if I'm wrong and somehow he's not even up there.

Biting hard on the inside of her cheek, Orihime turned back to the man at the desk, "Mr. Schiffer is sick," oh god that was a lame excuse, "he won't be able to answer the door, but I was told you'd have a key."

The man raised an eyebrow at her, Orihime did her best not to let her smile falter. He was going to see through her, he was going to see the veins on her neck throbbing with her racing pulse, he was going to throw her out into the street and-

The man reached into a drawer in his desk, pulling a small key off a large ring of similar keys and held it out to her, "Do remember to leave it back with me when you leave." He said in a tone that suggested he thought her dim enough to not do that without instruction.

Orihime was too thrilled to let it bother her. Taking the key she sprinted to and up the stairwell. It felt like the higher she got, the less air there was in her lungs.

There was only one door in the hallway. Waiting till she was sure the lift had made it's way back to the bottom floor, before pressing her ear against the door, straining for a sound. Either the door was really thick or the room on the other side was just that quiet. Anxiously rubbing her thumb over the ridges and teeth of the key, Orihime took a shaky breath, slipped it into the keyhole, and heard the tumblers click into place as she turned it.

The apartment was bigger than his underground abode, yet it seemed an attempt had been made to recreate the old lair. There were decently sized windows, but they all had curtains pulled halfway across, open just enough to let the light in. The were candelabra's dotted all about, well melted candles in each one. That being said the place was remarkably clean, you'd be tempted to think no one lived here. But there was a clear sign of life in the space around the grand piano. The instrument as well as the small desk next to it were littered with papers and sheet music.

Walking up to it, Orihime took in the well kept condition of the piano, she had no doubt that he tuned it himself. Looking over the various scratched out letters and ink blotted melody's, Orihime felt a smile form on her face at the sight of the familiar handwriting. Placing her fingers on the ivory keys, she tickled out an old song, singing along with it in her head.

Recall those days
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day

When I won't think of you.

The sound of an opening door, of feet stomping down a hall, of footsteps coming to an abrupt halt.

When she looked back on this moment later, Orihime would be confused that her heart didn't explode in her chest, or that the breath didn't solidify in her throat. But rather something all together different happened. A total sense of calm came over Orihime, like all the air in her lungs was the same as the air around her, like she had arrived at event she was always meant to arrive at.

Straightening up, Orihime turned around and saw Ulquiorra standing there, looking at her like he couldn't believe she was real. He came closer, nervously raising a hand up to touch her, she took hold of it in her own hand before he could think better of it. Neither of them spoke for what felt like a long time.

"I thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry."

"They said nothing could have survived that fall."

"Nothing human."

Pulling him closer and cupping the scarred side of his face with her free hand, Orihime focused a pleading look at him, "Why didn't you come back to me?"

A look of true pain crossed his face, squeezing her hand tightly, he swallowed before answering. "He was right."

"Who?"

"The- Ichigo Kurosaki."

Orihime didn't look any less confused. Right about what?

"Your voice is one of the best I've ever heard, with your talent you could go anywhere in life. But I could never do the same. If you had stayed with me the most I could have offered you was Las Noches, and you are so much better than that." He swallowed hard, "There was nothing for you with me."

Orihime's lips pulled into a tight line. She turned her face away from his and towards the ground, and her hand just slightly slipped from his face. "Well, you seem to have thought this all out."

With that she brought her face back up, an anger lighting up her eyes, "And yet you didn't bother to take my feelings into consideration!"

Ulquiorra flinched at her sudden expression, but he never let go of her hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but Orihime cut him off again.

"You try to justify everything you've put me through, by talking about my success? As if success means anything when you aren't happy!" Orihime released Ulquiorra, only to grab him by the lapels of his waistcoat. "Did you really think I could be happy if I believed you were gone?"

Her angry eyes became shiny with tears that she desperately fought to keep inside. She couldn't believe the look on his face, so shocked, so remorseful. Well he had better be sorry.

"Maybe it was just that easy for you to forget about me, but-" Orihime could have continued her tirade well into the evening, but Ulquiorra quietened her by pulling into her into a tight embrace.

"Forgive me." He pleaded. "Please."

Orihime scrunched her eyes, her face was pressed into the junction between his shoulder and neck, she took in a deep shaking breath, and was overwhelmed by the scent of him. The smell of ink and burnt out candles.

"For so long I thought that having you close to me was all that I wanted. But that night at the docks, I saw you crying so hard you couldn't even stand, because of me, of things that I'd done. And the idea that you were in such a state because of me hurt worse than anything the world had done to me." He took a handful of her long hair into his hands, relishing the softness.

"And suddenly the only thing in the world I wanted was for you to free of such sadness, even if that meant I could never see you again. But I see that all I've done is hurt you again. But please never doubt my love for you."

Orihime's body shook with contained sobs. She wasn't going to cry, but everything bubbling up inside her had to be let out.

"Two years. Two years!" Orihime sobbed out, hugging Ulquiorra back. "We can't just forget everything."

"I know." He admitted, stroking her back.

"But can we pretend?"

Ulquiorra pulled back, just enough that he could get a good look at Orihime's face, and so that she could see his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Just for now," She hiccuped, "Can we pretend none of that happens, or that none of it matters. Can't you just kiss me?"

An unreadable emotion flashed through his mismatched eyes. He opened his mouth, but not willing to risk him objecting, Orihime took his face in her hands and brought their lips together.

His lips weren't at all soft, and the way they peeled backwards on one side meant they slotted together with hers a little awkwardly, and the whole thing was flavored with tears. It was the most wonderful thing Orihime had ever felt. Ulquiorra instantly melted into the kiss, his body molding around hers, his arms tightening around her middle, keeping them flush against each other. Orihime's hands stroked at the scars on Ulquiorra's face, until she swept her arms to wrap around his neck and curl her fingers in his hair.

I cannot tell you that after this life was easy for Ulquiorra Schiffer and Orihime Inoue. I cannot tell you that they never again experienced hardships, or that just this once the course of true love did run smooth.

But I can tell you that after this, The Phantom and his songstress were never separated again, and for them that was enough to make this a happy ending.