Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor do I profit from Bleach. I only do this as a fan.

Inoue sat beneath the willow tree beside a serene crystal blue lake reflecting on her past life. She still found it hard to believe that her existence was now over. Her death had been pretty anticlimactic having tripped on her long graduation dress, falling down the stairs and breaking her neck. When she opened her eyes she was near an unknown town. She guessed that this was to be her new home until her reincarnation into the human world.

The thought of starting all over again alone was too much for her to take. She had darted away from the town as fast as her soul would allow her. Her feet just kept moving until she stumbled over a rock and nearly tumbled into the lake. At first she laid there staring up at the sky, but soon the sun forced her beneath the tree.

Inoue wringed her hands and sucked back the tears that threatened to spill once more for the life that had been less than kind to her. She changed once she had returned from Hueco Mundo not so much in her clumsiness, but something inside of her. Till the day she had died she had never been able to figure out what seemed to be missing. Strangely every time she began to ponder the subject the picture of Ulquiorra's fading form appeared.

Ulquiorra, she had dreamed of him often and it was always the same. An endless white misting fog would surround her as she hurried in an uncertain direction. Her only navigator was the pure instinct of her desire to see him once more. She would run faster and faster until her body froze unable to move even a single finger more. Her eyes searched the dense fog and like magic he would appear showing her only his back and midnight black hair.

"Ulquiorra, is that you?" She would ask desperately trying to move her feet forward.

"…" He would reply with cold silence.

Orihime would then fall on her knees biting at her lip with tears rimming her eyes.

"Do you still hate me? Is this some kind of punishment from you? Every night I see your face in my mind. In the day I hear your voice whispering in my ear. Your scent still lingers in the breeze as I walk everyday. When will you free from this torment?"

It was at this time that he would finally give her a reply.

"Do you really want to be freed of me? Was it not you who called me here?"

In the next instance he would be crouching before her wiping away the stray tears from her eyes.

"I …I called you here…to me." She would whisper softly raising her hand to touch his cheek.

He never swatted the hand away from his alabaster skin nor did he embrace it.

"The real question is when will you release me from this place?" He would ask the sobbing girl.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry." Orihime often cried fisting her fingers as if to fight away the falling tears.

"Tchh, you are more troublesome than death itself." Ulquiorra would say grabbing her hands away.

"It is time."

Orihime tilted her head a little confused by the statement. "Time? Time for what?"

Ulquiorra never gave her an answer, but she new what was coming.

"NOOOO! Ulquiorra! Don't push me away!"

She would scream thrashing about until she fell onto the harsh cold ground finally waking to another morning.

Inoue had been so lost in thought that she didn't realize that she was no longer alone. A small blond haired girl was now splashing about in the lake. Inoue gave a giggle when she realized the girl was fully dressed.

"Hello." The girl chirped trying her best to stay afloat.

Inoue was about to ask her name when a boy burst through the bushes.

"Ayame, teacher is going to be mad at you!" A dark haired boy screamed at the splashing girl.

"Just tell him that I fell in!" The girl laughed sending a splash in their direction.

Both Inoue and the boy turned when they heard the sound of angry marching steps.

"That will not be possible since I in fact know that is a lie." A familiar condescending tone quipped

"Ulquiorra?" Inoue breathed as she looked at the very human looking soul form of the ex espada.

He also seemed to be taken back as the scowl on his face faded once his jade green eyes met her slate gray.

"Inoue?" He asked tilting his head and completely forgetting about the children who were watching them.

"Wow I never hear of anyone finding someone that they knew in there last life." Ayame said coming out.

Inoue and Ulquiorra quickly looked to the children.

"Oh no way. Maybe this is like some fated love from their last lives." The girl cooed while the boy rolled his eyes.

Ulquiorra and Inoue once again looked to each other before he finally answered.

"No, it was nothing like that. Come, the others are waiting for us." Ulquiorra said before turning away from Inoue.

Inoue remained motionless as she watched the three walk away from her. Now she truly felt lost; it seemed as if everyone else had been able to move on with their lives or deaths except her. She wondered if any of the other espada was there. A small snorted chuckle left her lips at the idea of Grimmjow maybe being some kind of anger management counselor. The smile faded once more as the time ticked on into evening.

"Are you perhaps waiting for someone to show up?" Ulquiorra asked startling her in his usual way.

Inoue inhaled after calming her heart back. "I just feel like sitting here." She mumbled

"So do you plan on staying here until your next reincarnation?" He asked taking a seat beside her at the lake.

"Maybe, I…I am not really sure of what to do right now." Inoue shivered unsure if it was the night chill or him.

"Hmm" He replied looking out at the moonlit glistening water as if it were completely normal for them to be there.

Inoue looked over at the male she had not seen since he had vanished. "Why did you come back?"

Ulquiorra looked at her and she swore that his eyes were illuminating.

"I found that I have much more free time in this life." He answered in his usual nonchalant tone.

Inoue had not realized how much she had missed it till that moment.

"Yeah, following a manipulative world dominating sociopath can be rough."

She almost thought that she had offended him since he stood abruptly after her words and turned his back to her.

"Come, I am in need of your assistance at the school and I have an extra room in my home that you may stay in."

Inoue furrowed her brow confused by his words and actions. "Aren't you still angry with me?"

Ulquiorra didn't say anything else as he began to walk back towards the village knowing that she would follow.

"Hey wait for me!" She yelled jumping to her feet and running over to his side.

She sucked in a large breath of courage once she reached him.

"Okay, I am ready to start my life."

Ulquiorra smirked at her words. "Oh good then the universe can restart its rotation around you."

Inoue rolled her eyes at the smartass comment not seeing the smile that had appeared on his face.

It was late in the evening when they finally arrived back at the modest cottage that sat next to the school. Ulquiorra prepared a small meal for her and showed her the room that had been specifically designed for her. He watched her in silence from a large chair by the fire place while pretending to read. She was like a newly acquired pet that wondered about its new home checking everything out to make sure it was safe.

It was only a short time later that he realized that she was no longer shuffling around the rooms. Curious as to where she was he got up and checked in her room. There he found her curled up on the bed like a content tiny kitten. Ulquiorra's face softened as he walked in to the room and pulled a blanket over her.

He sat down beside her sleeping form and brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Did you think of me at all in these past years or had you forgotten me? I thought of nothing else, but you."

Ulquiorra sighed as he ran his fingers through his silky black hair closing his eyes before speaking once more.

"Did you know that I was in love you? How every night I would stand outside your room in Hueco Mundo trying to figure out how I could make you see me and not the monster you assumed me to be?" He asked quietly

"I will show you that in this life you can be happy ….and you will be mine." He finished as she snuggled the pillow.

Inoue woke to the smell of something sinfully good wafting through the air. Her feet were already on the ground and heading to the kitchen before her eyes had even opened. The drool was hanging from her mouth as she floated over to the table. Belgian waffles, French toast, Canadian bacon, English muffins and Columbian coffee had been perfectly prepared and laid out for her to devour like a wonderful sacrifice.

"I thought that you may like to try something new." Ulquiorra said walking in behind.

"Did you do this…for me?" She asked feeling really welcomed into her new home.

Ulquiorra cleared his throat and looked away from her to grab some coffee.

"Don't make such a big deal out of such a small act." He replied internally berating himself for being so harsh.

Inoue giggled not giving his words a second thought as she combined everything with syrup and made a sandwich.

"Mph ely ood." or 'This is really good.' She said while chewing with big chipmunk cheeks.

Ulquiorra held the mug to his lips so that she wouldn't see the satisfied smile on his face.

"Slow down before you choke. I will not take the food from you."

Inoue tried her best to walk with the same confident stride that Ulquiorra always had. She found that it was hard to walk without stumbling if she didn't look down at the ground. The butterflies in her stomach were no help either as their rebellious action were causing her breakfast to remain unsettled.

"Are you sure that it is okay for me to teach the younger kids in the village? I mean I didn't really go to college with that whole dying at graduation thing." Inoue mumbled chewing on her poor abused lower lip.

Ulquiorra stopped and turned to her placing his finger upon her lip to make her stop the cruel treatment.

Inoue gasped surprised by his intimate action. "Before my arrival the children of this village had no one to teach them except for their parents. I am aware of all the information that you attained in your last life and I have no doubt that the children will surely benefit from you."

Inoue stared at the soft expression dancing in his eyes. Her heart beating madly as he stepped closer to her.

"You are needed here. Please do not forget that." He whispered so close to her lips that she felt his breath.

"Okay." She said softly leaning a tinge closer and awaiting the kiss that she was sure that he would give her.

"Good then lets go." Ulquiorra said grabbing her hand and walking into the school.

A dumbfounded Inoue stumbled along behind him wondering what had happened to her kiss.