Nothing ever moved the sands. There was no wind here, no breeze. The air was stale, dry.
Her fingers clenched in front of her chest, her jaw tightening in determination. Behind her stood her make-shift family - Isshin, Uryuu, Sado, Renji, Rukia, Rangiku, Toshiro, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Yachiru, Kenpachi, and all of the Vaizards. They stood at her back, ready to aid her.
She was going to get her children back.
---
"Well, Kurosaki-san, the tests are back."
"Yes, Doctor?"
"You're pregnant, about a few weeks along by my count."
"Oh."
"I'm guessing from the way you just turned white, that this was not planned."
"No, it's just.. It's just my husband has been having some…some problems lately. A new baby isn't something we need."
"I see. There are multiple choices that you can make here. Perhaps you should speak with your husband before you make a decision?"
"He- he left for a business trip."
"Perhaps, when he returns."
"I'm not sure he's coming back."
---
Las Noches hadn't changed in the years since her last visit. The sands still looked the same, the same crescent moon hung in the sky. Even the rubble from those battles so long ago still remained in the same place.
She was afraid, her mind assaulted by the memories of this place, the pain, the fear, and the loneliness. Her throat constricted at the thought of her children going through that.
She had to protect them.
---
"Ichigo left."
"What? Why? Orihime, we have to find him!"
"Rukia-san, stop."
"Orihime?"
"It's better this way, trust me."
"What do you mean?"
"He's gone, Rukia. He's gone and he's not coming back."
---
She had known the minute that she had felt his reiatsu back home, what he had wanted. She should have been ready, should've been on guard. She had been caught flat-footed, and she wasn't the only one.
The Vaizards had been there, but even they hadn't been fast enough. They hadn't expected him to really come back. He himself may have been a great father, but his other half was not known for it's kindness.
She choked back a whimper.
---
"You're sure?"
"Yes, Lisa-san, I'm sure."
"I see. I don't know what to do. None of us ever had kids, so we don't know all the side-effects."
"Is it possible? That the baby could be like him?"
"From what you said, it's more likely that the baby will show signs of being a Vaizard more then your twins will. But again, I'm just guessing."
"Oh."
"Orihime-chan, you know that we are Ichigo's allies. But even more then that, we're your friends. So I promise you this. We'll help you through this. Even if I have to kick their asses into gear myself."
"You don't have to, I'll be okay."
"Orihime-chan, the Vaizards are behind you on this, promise. You haven't even thought of the worst thing yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Ichigo may come back for the child, but even if he didn't, if Soul Society knows about the situation, they may come after the baby themselves."
"You mean-"
"Yeah. If that happens, we'll hide you and the twins. We've got a lot of practice at hiding from the Gotei 13."
"Thank you, Lisa-chan."
"No problem, Hime. I've always wanted to be an Aunt."
---
The first obstacle was the Menos that guarded the outside perimeter of Las Noches. It wasn't a difficult battle. The accumulated strength of ten Captain-class Shinigami and eight Vaizards, plus a Quincy, a human, and an extremely angry mother meant that everything but perhaps the most powerful Arrancar would fall.
That much was certain.
---
"Ori~hime! Why didn't you tell me!"
"I was scared."
"Of what? That I would tell Soi-Taicho and get the baby killed? Hime, I'm insulted!"
"I'm sorry, Rangiku-chan, but it never hurts to be careful."
"No, I don't suppose I can fault you for that. Caution is going to keep the poor thing alive. She's so pretty."
"She is. She has his eyes"
"That she does. Thank you for trusting me now. I won't tell anyone about the other little thing. I'm going to tell Taicho though that you had another baby."
"That's fine. Can you tell Zaraki-san as well?"
"You want Kenpachi to know that you have another baby? Why?"
"Because he and Yachiru-chan were so taken with the twins. It's only right for them to know about the new baby."
"Ah."
---
The Arrancars on his side were even more powerful then Aizen's. He had made them that way, easily, building his army from scratch. They too were no match, but they were a greater challenge.
Rukia was the first to fall, followed by Rangiku and Yumichika. Sado also received a fierce wound, though all four were healed quickly and re-entered the fray without a second thought.
Soon the army of Arrancars retreated, even though they had the upper hand. She knew why.
She bit her lip at the first sight of her husband in eight years.
---
"Orihime!"
"Kurosaki-san!"
"How is my most beautiful daughter today?"
"Kurosaki-san, I'm only your daughter-in-law, and Yuzu-chan is much prettier then me."
"I must disagree! And you are still my daughter! … You've been crying."
"Today is his birthday."
"I know. Where are my grandchildren?"
"Over there, trying to get their Aunt Karin to teach them that soccer trick."
"Good. Orihime, you know him. No force in the world would keep him away from your side. He won't allow you to raise his children alone. The twins were only four when he left, and he's never even met Emiko."
"Kurosaki-san, he's gone."
"Orihime, I've told you more then once to call me Dad! And he's not gone. He'll come back."
"Kurosaki-san, that's what I'm afraid of."
---
Blood flew. She screamed. The sand was painted red. She was running.
Her fairies were out, already forming a shield to both heal and protect. She threw herself between the prone bodies and the attacker. Her eyes narrowed. She knew she wouldn't get hurt. He'd never touch her.
He glared at her, his gold eyes demanding she move. She glared back, her hands clenching.
---
"Orihime-chan, I want you to know I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what, Nel-san?"
"I can't tell you. I just… I can't."
"Nel-san?"
"I don't think I'll be able to visit in the near future. Some things have been going on back home. I'm going to have to stay and take care of it."
"Okay, the twins and Emi will miss you."
"I- I have no doubt."
"Nel-san, are you sure you're okay?"
"Orihime-chan, can you promise me something?"
"Huh? Sure, anything!"
"Promise you won't hate me when this is over."
"When what's over?"
"You'll see. Just don't hate me."
---
It was a stalemate between them. If he even glanced at one of her allies, her fairies were there, prepared to shift into a shield. He couldn't attack her and she really couldn't attack him. Neither of them moved.
Her family backed away, Hiyori and Lisa slowly picking Shinji and Isshin up off the ground. Her healing fairies returned to being hairpins, ready for another command.
She didn't flinch at his slowly growing smirk. She just gave him a brilliant smile in return.
---
"Momma? Why did Daddy leave?"
"Daddy left because he had to, Saki."
"Why did he have to?"
"You remember that story Aunt Hiyori told you, about the Knight and the Prince?"
"Yeah, the Knight and the Prince kept fighting each other for control of the kingdom."
"Well, it's kinda like that. Daddy had to leave to keep someone bad from taking control."
"Oh. Momma?"
"Yes?"
"Why isn't Daddy back yet?"
---
A high-pitched scream tore her gaze from his eyes. She stared at the sight of her beautiful children standing on the ledge above the battlefield. Neliel was holding back the twins, who seemed determined to try and get to their mother and their family.
---
"Mom?"
"Yes, Sora?"
"Why do all those things try to attack us?"
"They're hollows, and they try to eat anyone with high reiatsu, like you and Saki and Emi and me."
"Why do we have high reiatsu?"
"Because your father was a Shinigami, like Aunt Rangiku and Zaraki-san."
"Oh. Hey, Mom?"
"Hmm?"
"Did Dad get eaten by a Hollow?"
---
She could see her youngest, watching almost curiously. Neliel was keeping an eye on the girl, but anyone could see that the seven-year-old was not going to move. She was just watching, no worry on her face. It was almost as though she thought it was a movie on TV.
---
"You never told me about her."
"You were never supposed to know, Hollow." The last word was a curse of a name.
"Ah, my little Queenie's grown thorns." His entire posture mocked her.
"Let them go. Give them back, now." She surprised herself with the low growl emanating from her throat.
"Or what, Queenie? What will you do?" His smirk told her that he thought her incapable of anything.
She bit her lip again, blood dripping from the self-induced wound. Her eyes flickered back to her children, her twins screaming for her and her baby girl watching her coldly. Then her gaze turned back to him, and she knew what she had to do to be free. She knew what she had to do to protect her children, her family, and herself. She knew what Ichigo would have her do.
"I'll kill you," Kurosaki Orihime whispered, her gray eyes blazing with determination. "I reject you."
His gold eyes widened, as Tsubaki flew.