I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

Again

He had watched the decision before she was even aware of it. That determined look to protect the ones she loved and felt she had to protect. She did everything that he ordered her to do and left little to no trail that she left besides the fact that everyone knew she had disappeared. He watched her almost kiss the shinigami then pull back and deny herself that last wish, leaving it as a hope for the future.

In Las Noches she sat on the ground legs beneath her as she looked at the moon, silently coming to terms with her choice. Her heart ached that her choice made her a traitor in the eyes of everyone including Ichigo. She silently let all of her love go and felt bare and light like there was nothing holding her there. At that moment Ulquiorra walked in and told her that her uniform looked good on her.

He watched her absorb everything that was said around her and displaying no reaction till she was safely in her room. He would watch her as she cried for hours over the blunt plans of killing her friends for fun and gain. She only took comfort in that she delayed the deaths that one day and maybe they would take the time to train and not waste it looking for her. She no longer believed that she was weak, and Ulquiorra could see that as he watched her.

She slowly started talking to him when he ventured to ask her questions. She would smile describing her favorite foods and how her friends always insisted on throwing her birthday parties lest she make some cake that might attack them because she mixed things together that should not be combined. He told her a little about what he remembered about his human life and how he fought for control as a Gillian. He said he took his own life after losing the love of his life.

"That's why you always look like your crying," she said reaching out hesitantly and touching his tear tracks. He watched her closely watching her process his story. She felt tears crawl down her cheeks as she imagined him losing the woman he loved so much.

"What did she look like?" she asked. He stared at her but didn't answer her as she took her hand away.

"I can't really remember," he said turning away to hide his face from showing the guilt he felt about lying to her.

He went into her room that night recognizing the lonely feeling in his chest and that it went away when he was near her. She was lying in bed wide awake feeling as lonely as him. She let him lay next to her on the bed and they faced each other talked about her friends coming. She apologized for hitting him after she heard him insulting her friends.

"Can you understand that I just want you here with me and that I don't want anyone to take you away from me?" he asked touching her face and seeing no difference between her and his lost love.

"I understand, but I don't want them to die because you want me here to just talk too," she said feeling her eyes start to choke up with tears.

"Is that all you think I want?" he asked leaning toward her slowly giving her time to turn if she didn't want to kiss him. Instead she kissed him back slowly stroking his tear tracks and succumbing to the desire for him that had been growing for weeks.

When Grimmjow dumped her in front of Ichigo's almost dead body she recognized the reaitsu that cloaked him and choked his wound with its presence. She closed her eyes for a second realizing that he really would do anything to keep her here and he took out what he suspected to be his greatest barrier to that goal. She started to heal Ichigo to convince him to leave and never look back for her. Her choice was made the second she kissed Ulquiorra.

When he showed up she couldn't look at him for fear of the disappointment or hurt that might be there. Watching the short fight between him and Grimmjow she felt her heart clench in fear that he was gone forever.

In the throne room after Aizen left and no one was around they embraced. He asked her if she wanted to leave him and she said no. He wanted to know why she healed Ichigo and she said she couldn't let a friend die without her trying to help. He asked if he ever needed her would she help. She promised that she would always be there to help him just as Ichigo burst in.

Ichigo was confused by their relationship but believed Orihime when she said she loved the arrancar but threatened to kill him at the slightest hint of trouble before heading back in the opposite direction to find Rukia and the others.

Ulquiorra took her to his room and stayed with her saying that they would wait out the end of the war. He didn't want to fathom fighting his former allies, just be with her to make sure that she survived through this.

Ulquiorra walked down the hall to the open door and peeked in. Orihime was sitting on the floor rocking the bundle in her arms and singing a lullaby softly. He sat on the floor next to her and looked at their beautiful girl in her arms, the only clue to her half arrancar status was the light yellow make up around her eyes that made her green eyes stand out brighter. She was falling asleep happily cuddled in her mothers embrace.

"I love you Orihime," he whispered as their girl closed her eyes.

"I love you Ulquiorra, always," she said leaning toward him for one sweet kiss.

The end.

AN: this is inspired by a song, the lyrics were from Again by Flyleaf. I love that song and this just got stuck in my head till I wrote it.