A/N: Inspired by the song, Gajilsu Eobsneun Neo, by Baengkeu (가질수 없는 너 by뱅크). Set after Aizen's defeat. Rating may change as story progresses. I apologize in advance for any grammar/spelling errors.
Warning: Characters may be OOC. Do not read if you like Orihime.

' ' denotes thoughts by the character.
Italics denotes dreaming/flashback

Disclaimer: Bleach concept and characters belong to Kubo Tite. The story is mine. This is for pure entertainment and no money is made from this.

Chapter 1

The crisp autumn breeze lightly swept the loose strands of ebony hair that would have normally been held in place by his kenseikan. Sitting just outside the room on the engawa, Kuchiki Byakuya gazed out into the night. This night was no ordinary night; the full moon shines its beautiful light over the tranquil gardens in the Kuchiki manor giving it a majestically aura.

His ears picked up the soft rustling of sheets which drew his attention back inside of the room. His slate gray eyes take in the beauty before him, burning it into his memories to save it for the cold lonely nights up ahead. The thought of the loneliness that is to come with the rising sun made him smirk in hopeless irony of the situation. Opening more of the shoji, letting the cool night air circulates the room, he moves about gracefully as he returns to her side and sitting down beside her slumbering body not too far from where he had been sitting in the engawa. His hand reaches out and moves some strands of hair that has matted itself to a part of her face.

'She's beautiful,' his thoughts says as his eyes can't help admire her sleeping form.

The hand that interlaced with her black hair now moves to caress her cheeks lovingly. Even in the darkness of the night, her cheeks still held the coloring of one his favorite roses, the Conrad Ferdinand Meyer rose. Recalling hours earlier when she came into the room, pale and fragile with tears running down her face.

It breaks his heart every time he sees her like that. Outside in the public eye, she would be the perfect woman; not showing any pain, tears or discomfort and fooling those around her that she was doing well and moving on. However, in private and in the safety of Byakuya's arms, she would cave to her despair and cry her heart out. He always held her close giving her the shoulder to cry on, the chest to bare all her pain and the arms that protectively shields her from the nightmares.

"After 7 months, it all comes down to this doesn't it?" he whispers quietly to the darkness. Picking up one of the bottles of sake that was still on a warming plate from an hour ago, he pours himself a drink. Bringing it to his lips, he lets the luke-warm fluid coat his dry throat. He refills his sake cup again and brings it back to his lips.

As he looks up to the moon who's gazing down on his wary soul, he asks a rhetorical question, "Is love truly blind?"

As he finishes the first bottle of sake, he reaches for another bottle as he places the empty one near the tray that already was full of empty porcelain sake bottles. Furrowing his brows at the discarded and empty bottles, he muses, 'How many did we drink this time? 8, 10 or 15 bottles?'

He doesn't care to count, because counting the bottles would be pointless. He takes another drink of the almost cold sake and stares into the night as he thinks back on all that has happened and if he could have made any difference to the fate he faces when dawn approaches.

7 months ago in the human world…

The first week of March could not have been any busier for the fukutaichō of the 13th Division, Kuchiki Rukia. She had requested the next couple of days off in order to finalize all the arrangements of her upcoming wedding to Kurosaki Ichigo.

She was on cloud nine and was happily waiting in the dressing room of the bridal salon for her final fitting of her wedding dress. Rukia still cannot believe all that has happened since Ichigo defeated Aizen just five months ago. Even harder to believe that in those short five months so many life changing events has happened to them; from Ichigo losing his shinigami powers, to them realizing they love each other, Rukia's promotion to fukutaichō, Ichigo proposing on Valentine's Day and to their upcoming nuptials just 4 weeks away.

The attendant returned with her wedding dress and proceeded to help Rukia into the cumbersome gown. Once finally dressed she was brought out of the dressing room to the sitting area where her maid of honor, Inoue Orihime and her bridesmaids, Matsumoto Rangiku, her future sisters-in-laws, Karin and Yuzu. Also present is her future father-in-law, Kurosaki Isshin and Kuchiki Ginrei, her adopted grandfather, who had the distinct honor of walking her down the aisle.

Ginrei felt honored when Rukia asked him to escort her down the aisle. In the 50 years that he's had the pleasure of watching Rukia grow as a shinigami and as a woman, he could honestly say he was proud of her. And he has come to love her as if she was his own flesh and blood, even if there were doubts in the beginning.

He had to admit, when Byakuya told him he was going to adopt Rukia because of his promise to his dying wife on her death bed that he would find her baby sister and become her brother, Ginrei had a lot of concerns. Hisana, Rukia's biological older sister, was never fully accepted into the Kuchiki clan. And her short five years that she had been Byakuya's wife, she spent 95% of the time in bed due to her illness.

Since retiring from the Gotei 13, Ginrei finally had the time to do what he wanted. He wanted to travel and see the world. He has spent a lot of time now in the human world visiting many different countries. He keeps in touch with the family with Urahara Kisuke's assistance. Plus, Ginrei and Shihōin Yoruichi are long time friends. So naturally, Yoruichi would sometimes travel with Ginrei as she herself is an explorer.

Ginrei couldn't be happier to take a break from his travels since his granddaughter is getting married. Even though he had his doubts of Kurosaki Ichigo, he had to admit that since his father was he former taichō of the 10th Division and still current head of the Shiba clan, Shiba Isshin, Ginrei would give her his blessings. Ginrei also has had a long history with Shiba Isshin and the Shiba clan, regardless of Isshin changing his last name from Shiba to Kurosaki.

Now waiting patiently with Isshin and her friends, he couldn't wait to see her in her wedding gown. He wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the word. Seeing his grandchildren healthy, happy and content is all he can ask or wish for, making him happy as well.

Hush silence fills the room as they all stop chatting when all eyes saw Rukia entering the room in her off-white strapless A-line gown with jewel embellishments with a ribbon tied off to the side enhancing the waist. It's a Katsura Yumi haute couture design that had been specifically requested and tailored to Rukia's physique.

Both Ginrei and Isshin eyes begins to tear up at the emotion caused by Rukia's radiance in her wedding gown. Rukia could see the love and warmth in their eyes and it causes her to have teary eyes. The girls in the room immediately all fawn over her and gush about how beautiful she looks. With the exception of Rangiku, who had accompanied her to shop for a wedding dress, no one else had seen it before now.

"Rukia, you will make my son fall to his knees when he sees you walk down the aisle," Isshin told her lovingly as he wipes a tear drop from his eye. "I had already considered you as my third daughter from the beginning," he continues and pulls her into a tight hug. "Now, I am equally happy to call you my daughter-in-law."

While everyone happily celebrated around Rukia, Karin noticed Orihime's sadden expression when she thought no one was watching her. Karin, who was very perceptive for her age, had known all along of Orihime's crush on Ichigo. She knew of the subtle attempts of Orihime trying to catch Ichigo's attention when Rukia was back in Soul Society. While Karin and Yuzu had no reason not to like Orihime, they didn't know her all that well either.

The sisters loved Rukia. She would hang out with them, go shopping with them and even cooked with them when Rukia wasn't busy doing her shinigami duties while in the human world. Rukia was not all focused on Ichigo; she gave everyone in the family all of her attention when attention was needed, just like an older sister would. And Rukia made up for the fact that Ichigo sometimes wasn't the observant older brother unless danger was eminent and protecting them became a priority.

'Why do I have a sinking suspicion that Orihime isn't truly happy for Rukia?' Karin thought to herself as she observes Orihime.

Yuzu whispers into Karin's ears when she notices her sister's eyes narrow slightly in concentration as she looks at Orihime, "Don't worry Karin. I doubt Orihime will try to come between Ichigo and Rukia now. After all, she is Rukia's maid of honor." Nudging Karin slightly to let her worries go and enjoy the moment with Rukia, urges her by saying, "Let it go Karin."

Orihime looks at the sisters as she felt someone watching her. She quickly fakes a bright smile at them hiding her real emotions. Orihime had been lost in her own emotions and thoughts as soon as Rukia came into the room. She felt as if her world had gotten a lot smaller once she saw Rukia in her wedding gown. While she was outwardly happy for Rukia, she was inwardly sad and envious. She knew all along that Ichigo and Rukia were in love, but it didn't stop her from loving Ichigo and even trying to gain his love and affections when Rukia wasn't around. 'Sure Rukia is my friend. But I have love Ichigo for years; even before she came into his life. I can't give him up so easily…even to a friend,' she reasons with herself.

Bracing herself, Orihime inhales a deep breath calming her nerves. 'It's now or never,' she muses if she wants to keep Rukia from marrying Ichigo.

"Ahem…Rukia," Orihime says a bit loudly drawing Rukia's attention.

"Yes, Orihime," Rukia happily addresses her maid of honor.

Orihime looks down briefly at her fidgeting hands before stopping herself and making two firm fists at her side as she looks up staring Rukia in the face as she says with determination, "I cannot allow you to marry Ichigo! Not when I am pregnant with his baby."