Disclaimer: I still don't own Bleach.

Warnings: Honestly, if you haven't figured it out by now I don't know what to tell you.

Authors Note: So yup. I'm a butthead. I'm disappointed in myself for not updating in so long. But hey, here's one. Here you go.

~Chapter Nine Begins~

I sighed and breathed out a single word,"Aizen…"

….

(Grimmjow's P.O.V)

The second I heard him breathe out that name I was filled with shock. Then I felt fury. Then concern for Ulquiorra. Then fury again, fury directed at Aizen. I couldn't make up my fucking mind; I didn't know what to feel and what order I was supposed to feel it in.

(Ulquiorra's P.O.V)

I watched as Grimmjow's face contorted as a rush of different emotions filled him. For once, surprisingly, I was the one thinking calmly. I needed to protect him; I couldn't let him run off all gung ho like I knew he wanted to. I had to plan this carefully if I wanted to make sure Aizen didn't get away with any of this. I knew that my safety wasn't the only thing at stake here. I was his favorite pet, that didn't mean I was his only. In fact, it meant the opposite. He had more so called pets, more people to abuse, and more patients that were never going to get better. Not with him pounding their asses like he did mine.

I watched as Grimmjow leaped up. He wasn't going to get hurt and I wasn't going to let him leave everybody else with what I had to deal with back there.

"Sit," I said calmly, however my voice held an element of absolute control. I was in charge for once.

(Grimmjow's P.O.V)

"Sit."

I heard him say this loudly and clearly. His voice was strong and steady. I sat down, staring up at him, wondering how he could be so calm when I was so frantic. My brain was going a mile a minute. Speeding of in all different directs at once, it was like my head was being split into pieces and I didn't know which one to listen to.

"Listen to me, Grimm," He said.

And so I did.

"Calm down. I need your head clear and for you to be unbiased right now. That's the only way to nail this bastard. I'm not this guy's only conquest." He said the last word while making those stupid little air quotation marks with his fingers.

I stared blankly, finally putting the pieces together. The first night, when he had come in all broken, when he said he couldn't talk about it, the limp, the nightmares. I stood, rushed to him, and wrapped my arms gingerly around him. I wondered why I didn't see this before.

(Ulquiorra's P.O.V)

I felt Grimmjow's arms wrap carefully around my torso. It was like he was afraid to break me; I was a thin porcelain doll in his eyes. And maybe I was, but I was determined. I unwrapped his arms from around me, but instead I took his hand and lead him over to my bed. Once we were sitting I turned to look him in the eyes. His were full of anguish and anger and something that looked like guilt. I slapped him across the face.

Grimmjow looked shocked, his mouth hung open as he tried to find the words that he wanted to say. Finally he managed to splutter out some kind of confused exclamation.

"That was for the guilt in your eyes. Don't you dare feel bad for this. It's my fault. I'm the one who went to him after Ichigo came to see me. I'm the one who let myself slip in front of him. So don't you dare even have the audacity to blame yourself," I explained. "Do you understand me?" I asked.

He nodded and closed his mouth.

"Good. Now, I suppose that I don't have to explain all that happened from the look in your eyes," I stated firmly.

"I guess I understand why you didn't want to go all the way now. Why didn't you tell me?" He looked slightly betrayed.

I sighed. This was going to be hard on both of us.

"What were you thinking? You should have told me that, that bastard did that to you. To the one that I love! I would have stopped this; I could have found some way. I would have killed him so that you never had to feel this kind of pain ever again. I could have protected you from him if you let me know," Grimmjow said, starting to sound slightly hysterical.

I pushed my lips against his, kissing him passionately, not letting him go on anymore. When I pulled away I made sure to cover his mouth with my hand.

"This is why I didn't tell you. I knew you'd react like this and I couldn't stand it if you got in the way and got hurt. If you did anything he could have you locked away. He would have separated us and we never would have seen each other again. Then hurt me even more, and I wouldn't have you to patch me up. I wouldn't have you to make me whole again. If you killed him I never would have seen you again and in result I think I would probably just kill myself. I let you in Grimmjow, you know more about me than anyone and I trust you more than anyone. I can't lose you now. So, for me, I need you to be calm and I need your help so we can get this bastard caught. So he'll never hurt anyone again. Because it's not just me he's done this to, and you know it just as well as me." When I finally finished my rant, I stared at him for a few moments longer before removing my hand from his mouth. "I know how hard this is going to be for you, standing back and doing nothing but it's what I need from you," I whispered.

After a minute of silence he stared me straight in the eye and spoke softly. "You sure you know what you're doing?" He asked.

I nodded, and then leaned it and kissed him softly.

"I'm in then. Let's take this bastard down."

~Chapter Nine Ends~

Authors note: Thank you guys so much for sticking with me. It's been a long and hard time for all of us I'm sure but I'm very happy to be writing again. I'm proud to say that I haven't picked up a razor blade in I don't know how long. This is a huge break through for me and the support from you guys, my friends, and Black Veil Brides music is what helped me through. I know this isn't my longest chapter but I haven't written in so long that I needed a buffer to get back in the groove. I have a pretty solid idea of where I'm going to take this the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy and stick around until the end. Once again, thank you so much for waiting and supporting me.