A/N: dedicated to Demonvamp and VioletCherry who besides myself missed Kei and wanted her to get together with Ulqui. Enjoy the alternate ending of The one you left behind.

*****~

"Ulquiorra," the Shinigami said.

He stared up at her unable to move.

"Don't worry! I'll be waiting for you—alive—" she joked, "Just wait until the reiatsus fade. Then come and look for me!"

She would survive wouldn't she?

He just had to believe in her.

He nodded.

"Good!" the Shinigami rubbed his horns fondly, "see you!"

And she left.

~*~~~~

Twenty-five years later

The white sands of the unchanging desert blew around him; he huddled down against the rock pillars cursing everything. He doubted even slitting his own throat could reunite him with her. Where did Shinigami go after they died? Her soul had been eaten so long ago and yet despite his frequent searching through the souls inside him, he had never once made contact with her.

Sure all the others clamored and cried when he went inside, some begging for mercy, others screaming revenge but she…try as he might could not find a single trace of. He wouldn't have minded if it had been her who cried for the life lost or promised bitter agony and frightful torment if they ever got out. For then at least she would be there, intangible, translucent and only a shadow of her former self…he wouldn't mind at all; because then she would be trapped with him forever.

The wind became harsher, gusting up dust devils, from out of one a tall man emerged, a shinigami. He looked about himself, his sharp brown eyes, missing not a single detail. Finally they alighted on Ulquiorra in Vasto Lordes form. The Shinigami went toward him, walking with the ease of a natural born leader, "how would you…like to become stronger? Immensely more than what you already are?"

Stronger?

How?

Ulquiorra looked up at the man, suspicion threading through his stomach. If she were here how would she answer? 'Become stronger only to beat me…' her voice floated through his head suddenly. Of course…there could only be one answer then. "Yes. Make me," Ulquiorra answered Sosuke Aizen firmly.

Aizen smiled broadly, "lets go then."

~~~~~~~*

Shinigami aren't known to be idiots but then it depends on whom you ask and whom you're thinking of. One in particular, a violet eyed golden blond haired female had the intense misfortune of being caught napping in a tree and getting kidnapped and of course being offered as a consolation gift to the Lord of the Hollows. Ye Gods!

"Damn yooouuu! I said unhand me this instant!"

She was body slammed to the hard tile floor, her black shihakusho was ripped at the shoulder and her hair fell messily onto her face. Quickly she half turned, her hand raised, "Hado—owww!" A huge sandaled foot stomped her back; dizzily her vision faded in and out, "Hado 54 Haien!" she muttered weakly. Red light issued forth in a cloud, temporarily stunning the Arrancar, the captured Shinigami used this to scramble backward, her sticky palms pressed against the cold floor.

The room, she now noticed as she glanced around, was filled with eyes. Hungry malice ridden eyes, her hand went to her shoulder, dismayed she realized her sword wasn't there. Where was it? Had Getsu-ten been dropped in the world of the living during the fight and her subsequent capture? Maybe. Without it she knew she had very little chance of making it out of Las Noches alive. She raised her hand again, "still haven't had enough? Bakudo 1 Sai!" the binding spell took immediate effect and as such the weaker Arrancars darted forward all thinking the same thing; the prisoner mustn't escape.

The Shinigami swung out at the closest, catching him in the stomach; she pushed herself off the floor delivering punch after punch to whomever got close enough. Once in a while she punctuated this with lower Hado spells. She had just buried the heel of her palm into the flabby nose of one and knocked him aside…her hand she evened out ready to blast away the next with Kido…Green eyes looked at her calculatingly, mouth with its black upper lip pursed narrowly, his long index finger pointed out as green energy built up.

Ulquiorra?

It couldn't be could it…?

A sharp crack to the back of her skull and she slumped forward; "take her to her room," Aizen finally commanded. The Numeros hesitantly lifted her and carried her out.

~~~~~~*

Her eyelids fluttered; sheets rustled nearby. Close, closer…finally she jerked upright, her hand shot out, "Ha--!" A trembling black haired Arrancar female held a blanket stretched between her fingers. The Shinigami raised an eyebrow; was that meant to cover her?

"Oh so sleeping beauty's awake finally!"

The Shinigami directed her gaze over to the opposite side of the room where three Arrancar lounged about. The one who'd spoken monopolized the armchair; he had a shock of teal hair and flashing teal eyes. His white jacket lay open to his chest and as he leered at her another interrupted albeit threateningly, "Grimmjow…"

This was the green-eyed male from before; his voice had grown deeper and colder than what she remembered but it was most definitely him. And last but not least…a second female clothed in a white dress whose collar effectively hid the bottom portion of her face. Three Arrancar…four if you count this one, she thought eyeing the first one as she gently laid the blanket over the Shinigami's lap.

"Thank you," the Shinigami muttered, uncomfortable with the other six eyes on her. If such looks could kill, she could see Ulquiorra's flat stare coming from the side, chills broke out on her arms. The Arrancar servant girl bowed once and then backed out leaving the Shinigami captive alone with her superiors.

"I—"

"Shinigami. Or perhaps you'd like to be addressed with your real name? Kei Tsukiakari?" Ulquiorra's emotionless tone bit down on the Shinigami; he had stayed so bitter…"Yes. Well just Kei. In actuality it's Keiko Kurai Tsukiakari…but eh, just Kei is fine," she shrugged noncommittally.

Kei.

So that's your name.

You never saw fit to tell me.

Not even of your survival from that attack so many years ago.

"So what're your names? Hmm? Silly Hollows, you know mine but I don't know yours yet," Kei crossed her arms over her chest, her violet eyes bright with curiosity.

"Halibel, Tercera Espada," the blond female said crisply.

"Heh. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, Sexta Espada."

"Ulquiorra Schiffer, Cuatro Espada," he answered last and very quietly so that she had a hard time hearing him. For sure this was him then, she let her eyes rove over him freely now as a faintly amused half smile played around her mouth. How much did he hate her, despise her for what she'd done in his mind?

Her smile only grew broader at the way he couldn't bear to meet her gaze directly on. How much time had passed? Ten years? No…twenty-five. And just look at what he's become! She couldn't have been happier even if it had been her own child…being a part of the enemy's army didn't matter in the least.

Not to her anyway.

~~~*~~~

"It doesn't rain here," Kei muttered sullenly to no one in particular. Her body leaned forward on the round window vestibule looking out into the empty deserts, her violet eyes narrowed, took in the sight of the Adjucha Guards stalking around. Every once in a while a scuffle would break out and someone would get eaten; she watched this with some amusement.

"What're you doing here?" a deep voice asked quite suddenly.

She didn't turn around, " just enjoying the sights, Ulquiorra." She answered blithely. A pale hand encased by a white sleeve fell onto her shoulder; she glanced at it and then smiled a crooked smile. "So you've finally gotten over your loathing of me, I take it?"

"I have no idea what you're presuming, Shinigami."

"Do you?" then she giggled, "I thought up a question to ask you. Now you'd better answer me truthfully otherwise…" she trailed off and cleared her throat, getting to her knees on the window seat, facing him. "Do you hate me and…love me?" her tone serious, her eyes on him steady.

Ulquiorra blinked slowly, "I do not understand your meaning. However, no."

"No?"

"No," he repeated firmly.

The Shinigami pouted, "but you only answered one of my questions! There were two you know!"

"No. There wasn't."

"Yes there was! You're deliberately ignoring me…" violet eyes narrowed in indignation as a scowl crossed her features. He had to admit she was still as amusing as before. Maybe more so…

"You talk—"

He broke off quite suddenly for she'd lunged for him, admittedly not far since they were only a few feet away from each other, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her mouth pressed lightly on his. She let go when she judged it enough. His green eyes were wide with shock; had she just…

Kei stepped back, her hands clasped behind her tightly, "I'll go on to my cell now. See you later!" she trotted off down the hall leaving him standing there, his lips burning.

Was that supposed to be a kiss?

~~~*~~~

Kei the Shinigami's p.o.v

I couldn't resist pecking you on the mouth. Though pecking doesn't exactly describe it neither does 'kiss'. You I suspect may mistake that for a kiss but it wasn't. More like…I found you to be too irresistibly cute in your annoyance with me so I gavein to one of my weaker impulses…

~~~*~~~

Ulquiorra's p.o.v

She had…kissed me. Her lips were soft, yet gently unyielding. Not at all what I'd have expected from a Shinigami. My own charcoal lip burns when I recall it…why? Why is she affecting me this way? I went into her room later on to find her listless and lying on her stomach on the black Chaise that served as her sofa, her eyes stared off into space. After a while I got closer, she didn't heed me but merely raised her balled fists to the sides of her head and squeezed tightly, whimpering as she did so…

~~~*~~~

"Kei?" said Ulquiorra, his tone flat. She gave no sign of hearing him, her shoulders shook when he laid his hand on her back. The fine bones of her spine felt hard beneath his palm, how thin she'd gotten since then, he thought. "Kei," he said a little louder now, sensing more than seeing her heart pound.

No response.

He took a breath in, the word slipping out easily, sounding almost as an endearment though it shouldn't have been, "Shinigami." She jolted a little, her hands lowering from her head. The skin of her palms broken from the pressure of her nails being dug in. "What is it, Ulquiorra?" she tilted her head back to look at him, exposing the front of her neck to his wandering gaze.

The fine stretch of creamy skin looked inviting, he fought the urge to slice it open. Kei blinked and turned around, folding her feet up beneath her. "Sit down, there's something I've been meaning to tell you but just didn't feel it was the right time." The chaise was low to the ground but narrow at the point where she meant him to sit. He perched rather uncomfortably at the edge, the side of her hip pressing against his leg.

"Why so uncomfortable?" she commented after a minute of seeing his tight expression, "We've known each other a long time already." Ulquiorra met her eyes firmly, "you are foolish to suppose me perturbed by your closeness."

"I am? Really?" she leaned forward, sliding her arm over him, inching behind him to the point where she could lean onto his back, hugging him. "This doesn't bother you?" she teased, her breath tickling his ear on the right side. "Release me…" his tongue closed up on the word; he couldn't call her trash. "Shinigami," he decided. But that was the wrong thing to say for she merely tightened her hold on him, easing the upper half of her body and positioning her knees on either side of him.

"I've missed you, you know," she whispered, her voice low but muffled more by burying her face in the back of his neck. "You brushed your hair," she noted and he felt an intake of breath rustle his skin like she giggled.

"Of course, fool. I am the Cuatro Espada."

"So I've heard," she said seriously.

"Release me."

"—Make me."

That sounded like a threat and one he wasn't going to let her get away with. Ulquiorra stood up quickly, meaning to dump her back on the chaise but found her hanging on tightly. Her legs were wrapped vise-like on his waist, her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Let go of me."

"No."

"Woman. Now"

"So now it's 'woman' eh?"

He felt her unlatch and hop down. The pressure from his back was gone and when he glanced at her again, she had gone back to the chaise and had settled down. She didn't offer him a seat. She stretched out full-length, her hand over her eyes, for some reason he thought she seemed disappointed.

But why?

"What is the matter now, woman?" he finally asked. Lazily purple eyes opened and flicked over to him; their look cold, "you're still here?" her tone was incredulous.

"Of course. I never left." He deadpanned.

"I let you go," Kei added emphasis, "so then why are you still here?"

"I do not understand your meaning."

She muttered something inaudible to herself, and then looked up at him, "you let me go. I let you go. Fine. We're done. Leave."

"You're making no sense."

"Maybe it's just that you don't understand."

He moved then, his knee on the Chaise's edge, his pale hand around her throat. Never had he felt such revulsion and violent anger pass through him then when those violet eyes met his, their look challenging. Do it, they seemed to say. Ulquiorra began applying base pressure, pushing his thumb into the side, her lips parted as she started gasping. In the single instant before strangulation and inhalation, he crushed her mouth with his, roughly grazing her lips with his teeth.

Kei offered no resistance, indeed so surprised was she by his sudden interest. Her only objection was a flinch when he bit her none too gently, proving there still lurked within him somewhere, a more primal being. Increasingly possessive, his nails dug into her shoulders, keeping her from moving out of place. His pointy tongue darted in and out; a throaty growl warned her when she tried to move her hand against his chest.

"Ulqui—mmph," she broke off as he clamped down on her lips again. Her palms spread out flat on the front cloth of his jacket, shoving hard, breaking the kiss. His green eyes were glazed with lust and a little dark, if not for that his features still remained blank and unperturbed. Kei wriggled a bit, her neck aching and her mouth sore from his attack. "You were suffocating me," she said by way of explanation. He sat back on her lower half, that peculiar look still in his eyes.

"I didn't mind—you know. But um…well it did seem like you wanted to eat me for a minute there," she caught his blank stare. "I mean—you know!" she gestured with her hand flippantly, "Eat me. Er…you know! Take me." He stared hard for moment then slowly understood her meaning.

"Copulate."

"Huh? Oh yeah…I guess that's how you'd term it. Everything you say tends to either sound scientific or highly analytical." Kei grinned, "but that's what I like about you. Could you—maybe move a little? You're crushing me."

He settled a bit off to the side and she sat up, once again snuggling—this time—into his arms which he held her a little reluctantly. "I've wanted to tell you this for many years. I rehearsed it numerous times, each time adding to it, waiting for the day when I saw you again. You wouldn't believe," she paused to reach up and graze his chin with her lips, relishing the feel of his skin, "how much I longed to see you. I didn't fully realize it myself until we met-that is here in Hueco Mundo."

Kei noted the flicker that passed through his eyes; "twenty five years ago I was to meet the man chosen by my Clan to be my fiancé. I balked immediately and ran away to the world of the living abandoning that ridiculous Furisode they'd had me wear. Lo and behold I came across a Hollow about to die a second time at the sharp claws of another. You wanted to eat me then too, literally. But held back…why?"

"You ask too many questions."

Kei snickered, "same old response. Anyway I withdrew my Zanpaku-to…I'm not sure if Aizen told you or not…but my great power. Is the fact that Getsu-ten can mimic any sword it comes into contact with not having a stable shape for itself. I used the Heavenly moon then. And saved you—"

"And made me promise you—"

"Heh. Made you promise to become stronger to someday defeat me." She nodded, "good you remember. I wasn't sure how much of that mind-control Aizen has over his minions had affected you. But I stayed for a while…you knew didn't you? That it was I? I—I wanted you to be stronger. Call me crazy…but I did. Still do. I want you to be the one who ends my life. That's all I want."

"End your life. You want me to do it." It was a statement not a question and they both knew it. Kei turned to get a full view of his face, "yes. I do. Many times I wanted to see you after I got so rudely dragged back to Soul society but each time I failed. But now, here. We're together. Don't worry, in a day or so I am going to give you a reason to kill me. Then when the time comes I expect you to do it."

~~~*~~~

Kei the Shinigami's p.o.v

I've never thought much about life or living. Being born in the realm of the dead can spoil your perception of things. But I knew as well as you know; Aizen won't easily forgive being tricked by somebody.

~~~*~~~

Ulquiorra's p.o.v

She wanted me to kill her. An instrument for her demise…was I nothing more than that?

~~~*~~~

It wasn't easy getting out of Hueco Mundo alive with the pilfered orb. Kei was body slammed down hard into a sand dune by a streak of green light. A doom blast or as the Hollows called it, a Cero. She turned, her mouth curving up in wry amusement, "see? Told you I'd give you a reason for killing me! Bakudo 39, Enkosen!" A shield of energy built up around her, repelling the Cero. Another formed at his fingertip; pitilessly his green eyes surveyed her, "give up, Shinigami. Lord Aizen wishes for you to be brought back alive—"

"Alive no doubt to be made into an Arrancar. No thanks…I'd rather die," she withdrew from the air, a sword, glimmering and glinting in the light, she dropped it blade first into the ground, "Gesshoku, Nozomu!" A blinding flash erupted, dazzling him; fast footsteps paced away, the air whistling as she shunpo-ed deeper into Hueco Mundo.

Ulquiorra unsheathed his sword, "bind, Murcielago."

~~~*~~~

She spun around, her sight blurry, things rustled nearby, setting her teeth on edge. Where was he? A heavy pressure fell upon the clearing and wings flapped, descending lower. "A bat? Or…winged demon? Hmph interesting released state. I haven't seen many but yours is quite fascinating. Shall we-?" Kei placed her hand on the large crescent moon above the Getsu-ten, preparing to draw it out.

He took a step closer and she slashed the empty air, a bite to her mid-section told her where he was. Blood gushed out, but she stayed steady, "oh ho. Not bad. Nearly fatal there but not quite deep enough!" she dove for him, slicing his wing and then tumbling onto the sand, her heels scraping as she readied into another stance.

"It's futile, Shinigami. You're wasting my time."

"Ever the perfect soldier, aren't we? Don't you ever remember that you have your will?"

Silence and then the tiny sound of plips broke the spell. Kei blinked, her dark blond lashes fluttering, her sword fell from her freezing hands, landing with an audible thud. He had stabbed her in the same area though with the pain she realized it had gone all the way through. She backed up, collapsing onto a stone circle—familiar.

She glanced around, this place…a dream. He—

"So…this is where it ends…hmm, Ulquiorra? You never did answer my question." Kei found the strength to say, her eyes were beyond reproach but held a peculiar resignation that he found most annoying. "Why do you speak, vermin? It is too late for you…unless you're willing to reconsider Lord Aizen's offer?"

She swallowed and spat out a mouthful of red, "no."

"Then your fate is sealed."

A minute later, Kei gasped, warmth gushed from between her fingers clamped tightly to the sides of her throat. He had slit it, neatly, emotionlessly and stood back watching, a strange light reflected in his eyes. He then stepped forward, ripping her Shinigami uniform to shreds, leaving her body covered in deep scratches, which bled profusely. He took in the sight of his Shinigami, shivering and dying. Her violet eyes closed already. Ulquiorra scooped her into his arms, ignoring the gore staining his white clothes, "Here's the second part of my answer. I. Love. You."

~~~*~~~

Many hours, days it seemed later, she awoke. His voice echoed in her mind. I. Love. You. Had he really said that? Kei sat up, her head spinning, a golden shield glowed from her leg and an orange-haired girl had her hands above it. "Who are you?" Kei asked, though she thought she knew the answer.

"Orihime Inoue."

Both girls looked up at the cold male voice, Kei's eyebrows shooting up, "Ulquiorra?" He was framed in the doorway, wearing an immaculate uniform; he tossed an inert male Shinigami, obviously a guard to the floor near them. "Let's go," he said abruptly. Orihime quivered, her lower lip trembling at the dismissal in his tone, "but Ulquiorra-san, Kei-san isn't—"

"I said, let's go." His eyes were cold surveying the two women.

Kei got up, grunting a little at the strain as she straightened her back out. "You really want me to come with you? After everything?" She was dressed in a white kimono tied at the waist loosely. She met his gaze steadily, reading her answer. "I guess I do ask too many questions," she said lightly, crossing the room in a simple Shunpo move, his arm she took, glancing back once to the girl trying not to cry as they left.

"Thanks for everything!" Kei said. Then they vanished together, away from that world.

~~~Finis~~~

A/N: so it's finis now. Teehee there's an Omake at the end of the original chapter 4 ending for VioletCherry, don't forget to go and read it! Note: the timeframe is of course different from the original ending but that's to be expected…please tell me how you like it!