WestSide Story From Hell

Chapter 28

"We finally get out and now this?!" Grimmjow harshly whispered to me.

I had my back against the wall as we walked around the first floor. Nel followed close behind me as she held Grimmjow's arm making sure he wouldn't trip and fall.

"You saw his car. We can't leave them in here!" I whispered in panic. I had to stay calm. Composed.

"Sure, we can!" They can take care of themselves. We need to get you out of here." He replied, stressing the 'you' in his last sentence. I peeked a look at Nel, who had been staying quiet this whole time.

Our eyes met as I silently asked her if she understood. Her mouth slowly opened as her eyes watered. Of course, I understand.

I continued to wander down the hallway. I took in the white walls and tiled floors with a new light. He was here. He was somewhere in here.

He came to find me.

Everyone came to find me.

How could I be so lucky?

How could I be so terrible to bring them here?

The light pitter-patter of our feet gave us the only comfort and the only sense of fear as we made our way through the lobby and into the hallway. The shadows that played on the wall pulled at our attention. The heavy silence weighed on our shoulders making our hearts pound loudly in our ears. My eyes caught the last tiny swing of the door leading up the stairs before alarm bells started ringing in my ears.

"Haaa." I heard Nel lightly sound behind me. I turned sharply to watch her squeeze Grimmjow's arm tigher, holding her other hand closely to her chest.

Immediately, we heard the shouts and pounding from upstairs. Nel's bottom lip quivered as her mouth held an "O" shape as her knees started wobbling. I hurried towards her and wrapped my arms around her chest, under her arm pits before she could fall.

"Take us to the lobby." I said franctically to Grimmjow as his eyes widened. At the time, I couldn't tell if he was fearful for her sensitivity of a "gift" that could cause physical damage to her body or perhaps the fact that for her to spark an instant reaction on this scale meant only the terrifying could be happening only minutes away from us.

'They can take care of themselves.' Everyone around me was so dependent about the fact that they can take care of themselves. That there was no need for backup. That there was no need for one to worry. If my loved ones could take care of themselves, why would they submit themselves to bloodbaths?

A rush of air surrounded me as Grimmjow took us to the lobby. He began panting as he slowly fell to his knees, holding himself up by his arms. Another tremble shot through my spine, was he okay?

"Don't." He said harshly as he glared at the floor and balled his fists. "Don't worry about me. Help her." He ordered as I stood watch over him as Nel started to nestle herself into my arms.

I couldn't take my eyes off him. He looked so out of control; helplessly unstable, and above all: mad. He looked like he was ready to take the steps to God and fight the man. A punch for what he lost. A kick for what he couldn't save. A cry for mercy. Redemption. Saving. His eyes shone hurt on every level. Who was I to say I couldn't take it anymore. His gang days were over. His usefulness was gone. His ability to help the woman he loves was reduced to nothing. He had nothing left to lose.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE." He yelled at the top of his lungs breaking me from my stand still. I was reckless. I was scared. I stumbled around before finding my balance and carefully getting down to my knees.

He needed Nel more than I needed Ulquiorra.

Nel was the light at the end of the tunnel.

The boat that didn't sink.

She was it.

I gently layed her down on the floor as I wiped her hair off her face. She was breathing heavy as her eyes zipped fast under her eyelids. Her heart was slowing down to a normal pace. I gave her hand a little squeeze as I wiped the sweat off her forehead. An instant reaction. These types were rare.

"Grimmjow, she'll be fine. As long as she stays out of their range, she'll slowly fix herself back up." I tell him as I slowly get up to my feet. "I," I start before I freeze. Would he yell at me? A yelling Grimmjow is not a safe Grimmjow, I think to myself as I bite my lip.

"What is it?" He says softly between breaths. I shudder and swallow the little build up of fear in my stomach.

"I've put you two through a lot." I say. I feel the air around me change. The air stops and slowly incloses me in its suffocating grasp.

"I've caused not only you two, but everyone a lot of pain." I say. My eyes flicker to him as he starts to raise his head to meet my eyes.

"So?" He asks curtly. His eyes flash a little of the old Grimmjow as he bares his teeth at me. I gulp, realizing he understood what I was trying to say.

"Look at you." I whisper. "Look at her." I add as I started to run my hand along my stomach. I felt horrible. Sick. Naked. "I can't ask you to do anything more for me. She can't go any closer to the scene upstairs and I need to be there." I say, itching to take a step away from him. I was walking on a very thin rope like a tight-rope dancer who obviously never look lessons.

"I don't wanna hear it, Orihime." He growled at me as he pushes forward to come at me only to fall to the ground and yell out in rage. I hold my breath as I watch him fall apart. "I didn't do this for you. I did it for-."

"I know." I interrupted. "I know," I repreat as he lays on his back and covers his face with his hands.

"I did it for everyone else." He starts again. "First, Ulquiorra. Then, Gin. And always for her." He continues as my throat begins to constrict. "I would love to let you go and pretend I never saw you leave." He says to me as he uncovers his face." But it would destroy her." He relays in a breath.

My eyes are teary by this point. My heart aches and I wish I could just end this all.

"She's lost you so many times." He tells me as what feels like my heart tears apart inside. "She's lost herself more times than I've witnessed." He says, knowing what he says tortures both of us. "I'm afraid." He says out loud.

His words chill me to the bone. Rattling my insides.

"I'm afraid that if she loses you for good, it'll break her." He tells me as he, himself, starts to choke on his words. "And I," He tries to say as I witness his unraveling. His words break his own heart. Grimmjow the Great. The one who had no heart. "I won't be able to fix her. Not like you can." He desperately tells me. I know his intentions for telling me this. But seeing him quit. Seeing him lay on the floor next to her as he slowly kills himself. It hurts.

"Just." I begin as my voice breaks off. I held onto a fistful of my shirt, trying to look everywhere but at him. "Just stay here." I pleaded. My words echoed off the walls, making them feel as cold as they sounded. "I need to go." I finish as I run from the room. Every slapping foot stomp that bounced off the wall just like a slap to the face. Why did this hurt so much? I slow down and turn to look at them before I exitted into the hallway.

I watch him as he slides close to Nel and curls up close to her.

"I tried." I hear him croak as I let the soft sob out that I've been fighting.

Ulquiorra crept along the walls of the facility. He didn't have a plan yet and he hoped that as he trailed slowly along the place that maybe an idea will slowly make its way into the corridors of his mind. He had made it to the lobby by the time he heard yelling on the floor above him. Immediately, he sprung forward ready to run through the hallway and find the stairs, but by the time he got to the entrance of the first hallway he stopped. Going to those stairs towards the yelling wouldn't be the smartest idea.

He should wait it out, he thought. Thinking about it, he analyzed his next move. They'd have to leave sometime and if he just stayed on the first floor and just watched out for them, he'd have them.

Silently, he started walking backwards. Letting his hands rest on the walls behind his back, he felt around for a door. When one finally came into arm's reach, he pushed it open. Slowly, he vanished into the dark.

Several minutes ticked by before the yelling started to quiet down. He could feel his heart pounding. He wasn't scared. Adrenaline, he blamed. It was the adrenaline doing this to him. The rush. He both fed off it and resented the feeling.

He reached down to clasp the lever of the door handle as he waited for any signs of any encounters. He almost slipped back out and go upstairs minutes later before convincing himself to just relax and wait. Sure enough, he quietly heard the soft clicks of taps coming from the stair well. He listened impatiently as they came past him. He peeled the door open to see who happened to be going by before becoming rooted to the spot.

Gin was there. Walking casually down the hallway with a slight limp to him. He paused midstep before slightly twitching his head in Ulquiorra's direction. Almost immediately as Ulquiorra caught the movement, he slammed the door shut. It was a much too high a cost to get in between Gin and whatever he was up to.

He stayed in his position a few minutes longer trying to calm his now erratic breathing. He could feel his heart trying to pulse out of his chest. He could even feel his knees shake just a little bit. He was tired and he knew it. He wanted all of this to end. This nonsense. He slumped against the wall, leaning his head back against the wall as he tried to shake his emotionally driven thoughts away. He was better than that. Don't think with your heart. Don't make decisions with your heart. Plan, analyze, and go on was his nature.

After taking a final deep breath to try and relax himself, he slipped back out into the corridor.

Steady now, he takes strong strides to the stair case. He pushes the door open as he looks behind him to the direction where Gin went to. Tilting his chin up in defiance to the tension slowly building up in his abdominals, he paces himself up the stairs. His mind by now is reeling. Pushing him forward and pulling him back all at once. He reaches the second floor too quickly and he stands still in front of the door. He looks down at his hand that is now outstretched towards the door handle. He sees his fingers shaking whether it be in anxiety or shock, he can't tell.

Something in him ticks at the sight of this. Makes him a little more angry, for feeling a little vulnerable than he used to be.

He pushes the door in an agitated state now. Their eyes are on him as his mind calms down to realize he has most definitely screwed himself over.

Immediately, feet start to pound against the floors; voices begin to mash together; skin collides against skin; bones shake; minds quiver;

Life has screwed everyone over.

I race up the stairs nearly tripping over every other step. The closer I got to the door, the louder everything seem to get. My heart pulsed in my ears, my breathing was ragged, their voices were like screams; the closer I got, the more nervous I was. What would I find? Could I break it up? Was I setting myself up?

I lurched the door open as my eyes took in the scene before me.

Ichigo had completely lost it and was holding Ulquiorra up to the wall as Chad and Ishida tried to pry him off. Voices clashed together as the scene began to change. Ishida was shoved to the ground and everyone started to change.

I felt my heart drop as Ichigo and Ulquiorra went all out when Chad stepped back, holding Ishida back. Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I started to spot the purple hue glowing behind their irises. I took a step forward only to be yanked back.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I whined as I recognized the voice. "One look is all it takes." He continued as his hands grasp my shoulders. Twisting around, I shove him off of me as I skidded backwards. I was unbelievably tired of my situation. Being helpless and forsaken for.

His eyes glare down at me before the corners of his mouth turn upwards.

"You just made the game a little more exciting."

And suddenly, I was back inside my memory.

The next chapter will be the last! :) Sorry, I've been gone. I've had. Some troubles.

Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

ulquihime7980: Thank you!

Strawberry-Chappy Forever: Because they looked into his eyes.

Anemone Iris Sidera: Ishida's just always been the smart one. With everything that happen, he was the first one to put it all together.

datkarKatass: Oh darling! If you can't take the last chapter, I wonder how you'll handle the last chapter :3

BlessedRain: I hear you! And I wonder? ;3

thosedamnturtles: Next chapter! :D

ASmilingDog: *gives more*

Thank you for sticking with me if you're still there. :)