The Beginning of a new life

Light from the half-moon filtered through the bared window that was the only connection to what lay outside, and was just out of reach for Orihime Inoue. She stood there day after day, hour after hour, wondering. Was everyone all right? Had she made to right choice? …Would she ever see her friends again?

Unable to stare at the window any longer without breaking into tears, Orihime turned, as she did everyday, to inspect her room— her prison. It was bleak, white, and lifeless. The only furniture was a cold, hard couch, and the bland, white bed in the far corner; everything else was cruel whitewashed stone.

She was lonely. It was that simple, she was completely and utterly alone. The only company she had was the hourly visit from her emotionless warden. Ulquiorra Schiffer. He insulted her friends and thought her to be trash, yet she craved his company because it was the only thing that told her, if only for a moment, she wasn't alone.

It shouldn't be much longer before he returned. Orihime stared at the tray of food he had brought, she had managed to eat part of the apple and most of the grapes, but she refused to eat any meat on the tray because she was afraid of what it might be.

A sigh escaped her lips. She could understand why Ulquiorra never smiled or laughed, but what she didn't understand was how he managed not to cry from the utter hopelessness and sadness that seemed to cling to this God-forsaken place.

"Have you eaten your food, human?"

Orihime's eyes snapped up to meet Ulquiorra's emerald eyes, he may be cold and even heartless at times but his eyes were always beautiful.

Orihime nodded "Yes, Ulquiorra-sama"

He removed one hand and snapped his fingers, immediately a small lower level arrancar scurried in and hastily removed the food cart, making sure to not make eye contact with Ulquiorra.

"Good, I shall return in an hour or so to check that you are in bed." Ulquiorra turned to leave.

"Wait!" Orihime took a swift step and reached for him all though he was far out of reach. She couldn't bear to be alone anymore, she needed someone or she would go insane. She was almost prepared to beg him to have mercy on her and keep her company.

Ulquiorra paused and turned his head. She looked utterly hopeless, he had known this would happen, but Aizen-sama had said she was stronger than he thought but Ulquiorra knew that his master had probably hoped that this would happen.

She was breaking down, the glint of life and defiance that been in her eyes when she had first arrived was gone. Her once warm chocolate eyes where turning to a depressing muddy brown— what a waste.

"Well?" he asked as she continued to just stand there.

"Ulquiorra-sama, I… w-was wondering… if you m-might want to… to…" Orihime stammered hopelessly.

"Your wasting my time, woman." He once again turned to the door and began to leave.

"Would you please, join me at lunch tomorrow, Ulquiorra-sama!?" The request flew out in one, loud, pleading breath.

Ulquiorra froze mid-stride. He had been expecting her to ask for freedom, or for another human to keep her company, or something along those lines, but the LAST thing he had been expecting for her to ask, was for HIS company. Him. Ulquiorra Schiffer. The Fourth Espada — He had insulted her friends, called her names, and been utterly cold to her ever since she had arrived.

He would have expected her to ask to see Grimmjow before himself… well maybe not Grimmjow… but anyone other than himself.

"I must speak to Aizen-sama, I'll be back in an hour. You had better be asleep by then… you know the consequences." Ulquiorra closed the door behind himself, without a backward glance, and headed for his masters quarters to report on the prisoner.

...

Ulquiorra slid one hand out of his pocket and knocked on his master's door.

"You may enter, Ulquiorra." Aizen's deep voice echoed through the solid granite throne room.

Ulquiorra wasn't the least bit surprised that Aizen had known it was him, he merely walked into the room and gave his master a low bow, "Aizen-sama, sir, I have come to give my weekly report on our prisoner."

"How many times must I say this Ulquiorra? Inoue is not a prisoner, she is more of an… underprivileged guest." Aizen had his elbow propped on an arm of his throne, and was resting his head on his fist, as if they had had this conversation many times before.

Ulquiorra bowed once more and nodded once "Hai, Aizen-sama."

Aizen shooed him with a hand impatiently, "Continue, continue."

"Hai." Ulquiorra straightened from his bow.

"Our… guest, Orihime Inoue, has became quite docile, she no longer fights our every order and eats and sleeps more often. She has eaten most of her meals except for the meat, she has gone to bed when told, and she now performs the tasks required to test her strength, without protest…" he paused wondering if should mention the most recent problem.

Aizen noticed that pause and lifted his head, "Ulquiorra, has something happened?"

"She wishes for… companionship." He finished a bit awkwardly.

"Really… and who, exactly, does she wish to be her companion?" Aizen questioned, now thoroughly interested in the conversation.

Ulquiorra looked away from his master for a split second, before he regained his composure. "She wishes for …me… to join her for lunch tomorrow."

"Then the solution is simple- you shall join her for during her lunch meal tomorrow." He paused " In fact you, you are to join her at every meal possible. I think it is time that she had a friend in her new home. I want you to get to know her and make her WANT to help us… and maybe after a time you could get her to forget about her past and truly become one of us. Do you understand my child?" (Aizen calls him his child because he made Ulquiorra an arrancar.)

Ulquiorra expression stayed completely blank, "Hai."

He had seen this coming but he had hoped that it wouldn't happen- it wasn't just the fact that she was human; in fact she was the only human he DIDN'T utterly hate. And no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't be COMPLETELY disgusted by her. But just because he didn't hate her, didn't mean that he wanted to spend an entire lunch with her—she was still a lowly human- and humans + Ulquiorra = a VERY bad day.

And on top of all that Ulquiorra wasn't he would call a people-person—he wasn't even a person if you wanted to get technical about it. And he just knew that Orihime would want to talk and that was just one more thing on the long list of "Things Ulquiorra can't and Refuses to even try to do."

"Now is that all?" Aizen once again resumed his bored expression, and leaned back in his stone throne.

"Hai." Ulquiorra paused for a moment and an eerie silenced descended, but he ended it quickly. "I request to be excused so that I may check on the human and return to my quarters for rest."

"Off with you my son, we shall speak after you have gathered more information." Aizen shooed him away impatiently with one hand.

With one last bow Ulquiorra left the room.

When the door closed a man, with lavender hair that fell to his always-closed eyes, stepped out of the shadow behind Aizen's throne. His ever-present smile was happier than usual.

"Hello Gin, what brings you here?"

"Do you think it will work, Aizen-san?" Gin Ichimaru asked excitedly.

Aizen smirked " When have I ever been wrong my friend?"

Their soft, evil laughs echoed through the room as they laughed at something only they understood.

"Give it time old friend, just give it time…"

...

The door to Orihime's room silently opened, and a tall, slim, dark figure stepped into her room. Ulquiorra silently walked over to her bed to check that she was asleep, but she wasn't there. He turned to find her on the ivory couch, curled up in a ball, and asleep.

Her eyes were red and swollen from tears, and where her head lay on the white pillow was damp from crying herself to sleep. Her hands were curled into fists and pressed against her chest as if her heart had been in pain, and her legs were curled up in the fetal position.

The scene before Ulquiorra piqued his curiosity. Human emotions had never made much sense to him, and this girl was no different

(If anything her emotions were even more confusing)

The Espada gathered the sleeping girl into his arms and carried her to the bed. He then pulled the pure white quilt up to her chin and took a step back. Ulquiorra stared for a moment longer then left, without a word, and returned to his room for rest.