Prize of Victory

Warnings: None I can think of other then maybe Grimmjow's language.

The first thing he noticed when he stepped back through the Garganta after the lame ass mission Aizen had sent him on was the flaring of Karin’s reiatsu. Grimmjow wasted no time in racing towards it, launching into a Sonido.

“Oi!” Nnoitra protested, being left alone at the gate and not bothering to follow.

Grimmjow ignore the other’s call. Aizen was of no interest to him over the reiatsu battling at his house. He saw the flare up of a Cero and increased his pace, arriving just in time to see Karin slam her head into one of her attackers face and blast the blond one with a bolt of Kido.

He felt a brief moment of pride before he realized she was half naked. Rage took over and his blood boiled as he realized the fucker on her meant to Claim her. With that rage came another emotion he had never felt before that sent a spike through his chest.

“Get that bitch under control.” Blondy snarled.

“Shut it, or I’ll Claim them both and leave you with none. A pity this will actually be pleasurable to you bitch, because if I had my way I would make this hurt as much as…..”

Grimmjow never let the Arrancar finish. He plunged his hand through the bastards chest and ripped a lunge out, leaving a gapping wound.

Karin took the opening and elbowed the bastard. The little part of his brain that wasn’t seeing red was pleased she seemed to still have her wits about her.

The other two bastards stared at their fallen comrade in horror before their eyes darted to him.

“What the fuck you pussy ants doing to my property?” Grimmjow snarled.

Neither one answered. Karin raced towards the one still holding her sister, reiatsu laden foot leading the way and kicking the bastard off of Yuzu. The movement broke the stillness and the two fools actually dared to try and go after her.

When the red wall of rage finally subsided, the mangled remains of the two idiots stained his hands. Rage was still playing through his veins, but now that the opponent had been defeated he realized what the other emotion was.

Fear. He was terrified. Not of these pussies. He could have killed them blindfolded with one hand in his sleep. He was terrified because he had almost lost her. Had the bastard been successful it would have been at least a year, if not longer, before he could Claim her himself, even after killing the creature.

In fact, he would have gotten in deep shit had anyone caught him killing the fucker if the bastard got a Claim off. Aizen had made it very clear killing each other over Claiming rights would be met with severe punishment.

The few that had been put on display in the first month was enough to even give him nightmares for a few weeks. And he had almost been put in that position. His ‘thinking’ was over and the needle was firmly buried into the ‘going to’ part of his radar.

He grabbed her and brought them to their room. He hated that feeling of terror and he planned on never having to feel it again. He gathered his reiatsu about him and prepared to Claim her.

“Grimmjow, wait.” She protested.

He ignored her. When this was done he would never have to feel this fear again.

“Please, stop. Wait a minute. I don’t think I am ready for this.” She begged.

He paused and she twisted under him so she was on her back beneath him.

“Please. Just calm down.” She whispered. “I am here, nothing happened, please.”

“I should have done this the first time your reiatsu attracted attention.” He growled.

He should have realized what had attracted the first one, but he foolishly believed no Arrancar would be dumb enough to come after his property after the last one. Karin was the last un-Claimed female of any worth; of course the foolish lowers wouldn’t be able to control their instincts.

His hands grasped her hips with the intent to flip her over once more. He would finish this.

“Wait. Please, just wait a minute.”

“I will Claim you.” He promised.

Nothing else would make this feeling go away.

“I think I am pregnant.”

He froze in shock.

“Impossible.” Was his first thought.

He stared back down at her, only then realizing the terror on her face, and what he was about to do to her. Disgusted with himself, he quickly pulled away from her body and walked over to the closet, tossing her the first thing of hers he could grab.

“Put that on.” He ordered.

He would clear up this matter quickly. The house was destroyed and he knew he wouldn’t get Karin to go anywhere without first insuring Yuzu’s safety. It was a quick detour to drop her off with Starrk‘s pets.

When they got to the fourth he demanded Aizen’s pet see her. He knew the woman was the best and would not lie to them out of fear of him. It took all of his will power to not start pacing.

He felt a sudden brush against his reiatsu, soft and calming. It came again and he glanced at Karin, realizing it was coming from her. Even under her distress she noticed his own. He felt himself calm slightly as her reiatsu gently ran over his.

“Grimmjow-san.” Unohana greeted him politely after entering the room. “My associate informs me you wished to see me, but you appear to be rather unharmed.”

“I am fine.” He grunted. “She’s the one that needs to be seen to, and I don’t trust any of your other pussies to answer the question right.” He added.

“I see.” Unohana turned to face Karin. “If I am not mistaken, despite the fact you have grown considerably in the last several year, are you not Kurosaki Karin?” Unohana asked.

“Yes.” Karin answered.

Unohana nodded.

“Grimmjow-san, may I ask that you please wait outside.” Unohana requested.

He was about to protest, but the woman sent him a smile that broke no argument. He didn’t like to admit it, but the woman was far stronger than him. He left the room as requested and leaned against the wall.

He could hear the murmur of their voices, but even his sharp hearing couldn’t make out what they were saying. That was fine. He would get the answer to his question anyway. Unohana was not scared to tell him the truth.

He was still on high alert, his instincts on overload, but he had calmed down enough to start thinking straight. His fear was still there, but overshadowing it was disgust with himself.

He had nearly done to her what he had accused Ulquiorra of doing to Orihime.

“And if Karin asked you stop, would you?”

“Of course. But I have yet to find a woman who didn’t want a piece of this.”

The conversation ran through his mind. He had nearly done something he would have regretted later. He still had every intention of Claiming her, but not until after this latest mess was cleaned up.

She was terrified and he would not be known as someone who had to rape his women. He had never had to force one before and he sure as hell wasn’t going to start now. He would let her calm down first before he staked his Claim. It was too dangerous to leave her alone any longer.

He would leave them both with Starrk for now. He was sure the 1st wouldn’t mind. He would also have to find a new place to live. The damage to his old house was not worth trying to repair when he could just kick someone else out.

Unohana stepped out, breaking him out of his thoughts.

“She is perfectly healthy. You can go in. Thank you for waiting outside.”

He gave the woman a nod of his head and entered. The confirmation that Karin was perfectly fine helped to ease his frazzled nerves some more, but Unohana hadn’t answered the more important question.

They sat in silence for a little bit before he finally broke it.

“Well?” He asked.

She gave her head a nod.

He just stared at her in shock. She was pregnant! She was carrying a child! HIS CHILD! It was too much to compute.

“What do you want to do?” She asked him.

He looked at her surprised. Why the hell was she even asking him? Did she have any idea how exceptionally rare children where? Unless she didn’t want the child? That caused another strange feeling in his chest.

“This child is half yours. It isn’t my right to decide for the both of us. You have a say as well of course.”

“Keep it.” He grunted, trying to seem nonchalant.

In reality he was pleased she was considering his opinion. She had clearly been apprehensive about his response.

“Does she honestly believe I would have no interest in a child, MY CHILD? They are so very rare. Now more than ever I must Claim her. If anyone were to discover she was with child they would waste no effort to try and Claim her. Fertility rates are so low among our kind.

“Then I shall. Unohana-san said I am the first case to come up so far and she would like to monitor my progress.”

He gave his head a nod. He would need to find a new den quickly to raise the incoming young. One with better defences.

Her thanks broke him out of his thoughts again. What was more surprising was it was for NOT Claiming her instead of coming to her rescue. Her request to speak to Orihime and Ukitake was understandable.

The fear in her eyes when she realized he was about to Claim her caused his chest to tighten, and as long as she feared being Claimed it would be rape. If speaking to the other two calmed her down and convinced her to let him Claim her without a fight, all the better.

She shared a conversation with Unohana before they headed back to Starrk’s estate. He wondered if he could trust the first to guard her for a while. He doubted Starrk was interested in breeding otherwise he would have been all over the woman he kept with him.

He reluctantly admitted Starrk was probably the most stable of them all. Like an old wolf past his breeding prime but still there for the pack. Okay, he wasn’t that old but he still clearly had no desire to breed.

As soon as they made it back Karin disappeared, no doubt to find her sister. He turned about to hunt down Ulquiorra. If Karin wanted to speak to Orihime to help calm her nerves then so be it.

He found the 4th just coming from Aizen’s office in the 1st division headquarters.

“Grimmjow. Aizen-kami is still expecting your report. I was sent to find you.”

“Well you found me.” He grunted.

“Report to Aizen-kami.”

“Yeah, in a sec. Karin wanted to talk to Orihime. Can you send her over to Starrk’s?”

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at him.

“I bet Orihime would like to know they are alright. No doubt she felt Karin’s reiatsu flashing in battle earlier today. Chicks dig that kind of sensitive thinking crap.”

Grimmjow smirked as he saw the look of contemplation on the 4th’s face. Before Ulquiorra even spoke Grimmjow knew he had won. The woman was definitely his biggest weak point and Grimmjow wondered if Ulquiorra even realized it yet.

“Very well.”

Grimmjow walked past Ulquiorra and into the 1st division’s main building. He did have a report to give and the sooner it was over with the sooner he could get back. He wasn’t a fool and he knew Aizen did not like to be kept waiting. If he was lucky all he would get for showing up so late to report was a firm, vocal, reprimand.


Like I said, these two chapter really go hand in hand (hence the quick update). I would almost argue that this chapter had the bigger emotional upheaval. Yes there was Karin's fear in the last one, but nothing compared to the realizations and fears of Grimmjow in this one. Please let me know how this chapter came out.

I have a plan for Yuzu, and it is going to be a very heart wrenching one. I won't say more then that as I don't want to give anything away, so hush to you too Kazes because you already know ;)

Next chapter: Hmmm, let me look here....... wait for it....... I think I almost got it.... I see Unohana's name..... and Aizen's......Ah there we go, I knew it was hiding in there somewhere. I do see Gin's name. Stay tuned for the next chapter where Unohana is forced to tell her 'husband' about Karin's pregnancy and we finally learn of Gin's fate after his betrayal. Hopefully the horde of his rabid fangirls won't kill me.