FADED -Bleach FF

Chapter 10

Ulquiorra

Finally Ichigo has woken up so I don't have to be pranked by his inner hollow anymore. I feel so much better and lighter just knowing he's alright and has woken up. I haven't slept since the ten days he was asleep and needed this nap so much and Ichigo just noticed it like no other. I can feel his warm hand in mine and I feel so damn happy that I actually might jump up and down until I run out of energy.

I woke up not long ago and watch how Ichigo breathes while he sleeps. It's kinda stalker like but since he called me his mate I know that he's okay with it. I was sooo happy as he called me so. I waited like forever to be called mate by my mate. No words can describe the emotions that were over floating me in that very moment. Maybe I needed this whole mate thing even more than I thought.

Soon there will be another of Aizen's boring meetings and I have to stand up so I can participate. If I don't the others may think that I'm getting weaker or softer and even I don't care about what they think about me I'll be in the meeting so I can listen to Aizen's plans. He's a pretty stupid guy if he thinks he rules over the Espada. I'm just number four and can beat him. Maybe it was like that earlier as he just founded the Espada but not anymore.

"I'm going now," I whisper to my mate who's still asleep. "I'll come back as soon as possible." I want to kiss Ichigo on his cheek but I don't want to upset him about that. It may be that he isn't that far yet. After all he just forgave me about kidnapping him – didn't he?

As I go out of my room I shut the door just in case somebody might enter and endanger Ichigo. He is still asleep so it's better to play it safe. I go through the white halls of Las Noches until I arrive at the front door of the meeting hall of the Espada. Ichigo or better said Hichigo has been in every meeting since I took Ichigo to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo may not want to become an Espada but the others already treat him like one. And not someone; like Espada number zero.

I have to confess: I want Ichigo to join the Espada officially so he can be part of the group. Nel – Grimmjow's mate – isn't a part of the Espada. Not because she is too weak but because she doesn't want to and I can see how unhappy Grimmjow is simply because the meetings take long enough and this is precious time he could spend with Nellinel. If Ichigo really doesn't want to join I have to think about drop out of the Espada as well so I can spend more time with him.

Sighing I enter the meeting hall where all of the Espada besides Grimmjow and Szayel are sitting on their places. Even Aizen is already there with his two colleges.

"Oh Ulquiorra," Aizen says surprised. "Where is Hichigo? Didn't he want to come today?" I'm getting annoyed but don't show it like always. It angers me that Aizen got used to call my mate by his inner hollow name because he's still Ichigo and the change in personalities was only because Aizen made my mate sick. I know that's not the whole truth but I'm sticking with it.

"My mate's name is Ichigo and not Hichigo," I correct Aizen emotionless and sit down next to Coyote. The Espada number one nods to me and lies down on the table. Haizel – his mate – just sighs and shakes her head. "And he isn't here because he's still asleep."

"Oh so he became himself again?" Gin wants to know and I simply nod. It's better to answer correctly because this creep kinda always knows when someone is lying. Sometimes it's useful but more often it's creepy. And how the heck does he know when someone is lying?!

"That's goo-"Aizen gets disrupt as the door lies open and crashes against the wall while Szayel and Grimmjow are running into the hall both looking so pale that I ask myself if they caught Ichigo's sickness.

"I-it's about Ichigo!" Szayel suddenly shouts while Grimmjow comes to me and holds me back. But why? Of course I'm worried what Szayel has to say about my mate but I'm not really that worried because I've awoken tomorrow morning next to him seeing him peaceful sleeping.

"What is it?" I ask not doing anything against Grimmjow's grip around my arms holding me in position. Szayel wheezes and then looks up explaining Ichigo's test results: "It's pretty clear that he gets more hollow like by every single second. As it comes out he has already died two times and shouldn't be alive anymore so he isn't really human anymore. But his body can't handle the transformation to a hollow causing him these many black outs and headaches. The whole thing is he'll disappear any minute from my calculations and I don't know if he's getting rebirth."

The whole hall is as quiet as nothing and the only thing I can hear is my loud voice inside my head turning insane. So I have waited for sooo damn long for my mate just to let him disappear?! Never in my whole life would I let that happen! I break free from Grimmjow's grip sonidoing to my room faster than in my whole life before. I crash the door open not thinking about anything looking at the bed...at the now empty bed.

I'm too late.