The past sixteen years for the unusual family have been branded into Makota's memory, the good to the bad times. Makota is more attached to Ichigo than anyone else in her odd family. But why is that? What had they been through together for her to be so close to her Godfather?

Hidden Behind the Blue
Attached Spirits

Orihime couldn't believe how beautiful her newborn was. The child slept soundly in her arms as she waited for Ichigo and the others to come in. Orihime gasped when Grimmjow's Arrancar marks suddenly appeared at the child's eyes then slowly sunk into her skin.

Orihime looked at the door and Ichigo walked in with Kisuke, Yoruichi, who had been the midwife, Uryu, Chad, Renji, and Rukia.

"Oh my God," Ichigo smiled, "She beautiful."

"Isn't she?" Orihime looked at the baby.

"Whatcha gonna name her?" Renji wondered.

"Makota," Orihime caressed the newborn's smooth cheek.

"I like it," Renji said.

"Orihime, can I hold her?" Ichigo wondered.

"Sure," Orihime gave her baby to him.

Ichigo held the baby close to his chest. He never thought that he would come to hold a child of an enemy. It's been months since he last saw Grimmjow Jeagerjaques or any of the other Arrancars. None of them attempted to come after Orihime. Ichigo guessed it was because that Grimmjow hated Orihime now and could care less if she ever came back or not.

Everyone held their breath when the newborn woke up with a choked whimper then began to cry. "It's okay," Ichigo soothed with a gentle smile, "It's okay." Makota opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her eyes were gray like her mother's but blue chips were scattered over the gray. "Hey there," Ichigo smiled at her.

Makota grabbed onto his finger and started to suck on it. Ichigo hadn't been holding her no more than a minute and he was already attached and she wasn't even his child. "Ichigo," Orihime called him back to reality.

"Yeah?" Ichigo looked at her.

"I want you to be the Godfather," Orihime stated.

"Me?"

"Yeah, she needs someone like you to be her father figure." Ichigo saw that the moment that the word "father" came out of Orihime's mouth her entire face saddened.

"I'd be honored," Ichigo told her. Orihime's face perked up at that. Ichigo smiled at her making her smile. Ichigo looked at the newborn he held when he felt her cuddle up to his chest and grab onto the front of his pure white t-shirt. She seemed to sigh in content.

Ichigo smiled and ran a scarred calloused hand over the thin layer of blue hair on her head and tenderly kissed her forehead.

##################

Makota rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she came out of her room holding Kon's paw. "I'm gonna get her." Ichigo said in a sing-song voice as he came up behind her. Makota looked over her shoulder then smiled and ran away giggling.

"Hey, hey, hey," Kon screamed as he flew behind her. Ichigo chuckled and ran after her. He ducked through one of the two entrances of the kitchen and hid behind the corner.

She was about to go into the kitchen when he caught her laughing manically, "I gotcha!" He said as Makota shrieked. He lifted her shirt and blew on her belly making her laugh loudly. Ichigo chuckled, he kissed her cheek. Makota hugged him around his neck. He hugged her tightly with a smile.

"Hello, are you forgetting someone?" Kon grunted. He was jammed between Makota and Ichigo.

Ichigo chuckled and pulled Kon free, "Sorry Kon." Kon dramatically gasped for air.

"All right you three," Orihime stepped into the doorway chuckling, "You're going to end up breaking something."

"Sorry Orihime," Ichigo put Makota down. Makota held Ichigo's hand and held Kon in her other arm.

"Ichigo-sama started it," Makota pointed at him.

"Hey!" Ichigo looked at her with a smile. Makota smiled and hugged him.