Her belly stuck out to the world. She felt so fat and bloated. Would this baby ever come out? She had been due four days ago, and still no baby. Nel gazed sullenly out the window. She hadn't been able to go outside and feel the wind through her green hair and the sun on her face for nine months.
Byakuya had been very stubborn. He absolutely refused to let her leave the house. Ever since he found out she was pregnant he had begun to smother her with his protection. She was an Espada for crying out loud. She didn't need his protection.
"Milady, you shouldn't be out of bed. Master Kuchiki will be furious with me for allowing you out of bed", my maid/friend Yuzuki said. I turned towards her and smiled.
"I will tell Byakuya that it wasn't your fault if anything happens. My husband forgets that I'm an Arrancar and an ex-Espada. I think I can take care of myself."
"I know milady, but ever since Master Kuchiki lost his first wife he has been very cautious of who he lets into his life. And now that you're here and pregnant he doesn't want to risk your health or the baby's."
I sighed in defeat. Every time the servants or Yuzuki mentioned Byakuya's first wife's death I immediately gave up. After all it must be hard losing someone you love and thinking it's going to happen again.
"Where is Byakuya anyway?" I asked.
"He had a Captains meeting he had to attend to milady."
I nodded. He had a lot of meetings now-a-days. The Shinigami had won the Arrancar War. The Arrancars that had given up were spared, the others executed. Ulquiorra-kun had given up working for Aizen to be with Orihime. I heard that she was pregnant with their second child. Grimmjow had grudgingly given up.
He was now head of a very successful company in Kurakura Town and engaged. Who would have thought that big bad Grimmjow would get engaged. Harribel and Stark also surrendered along with their fracciones. Harribel, Sun Sun, Apache, and Mila Rose owned a clothing store. All four women loved designing and selling women's apparel. Stark and Lillinette owned a music store and started a local band.
I was the first to surrender. My love for Ichigo Kurosaki was overwhelming. I was obsessed with him and would have done anything for him. And one day I confessed my feelings for him. I was so lonely, having lost my faithful fracciones and brothers in that cursed war. After confessing my feelings, Ichigo told me that he was already in love with someone else. Rukia Kuchiki.
I was heartbroken. The only man I had ever loved besides my brother's, had crushed my dream of having a family. I'd become enraged. What did SHE have that I didn't. I drove myself mad wondering why he had chosen her over me. I set outside under a cherry blossom tree for God knows how long.
Until one day a shadow was cast over me, and I looked up into silver eyes. Byakuya Kuchiki. It was like love at first sight (second sight). He was so handsome and his voice was deep and lovely. And he had me wrapped around his finger with only one sentence. "Why are you crying, Onna?"
After that I came over to the Kuchiki Manor every day. We talked and drank tea and pretty soon we were madly in love with one another. A couple months later we were married. A year later and I found myself with child. It was a miracle. I never thought I would find someone who loved me for who I was, especially after I was rejected by Ichigo. I don't think Byakuya did either, not after the death of his first wife.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I gasped in pain and then felt a gush of warmth between my legs. I my kimono had a wet spot between my legs. My water had broken.
"Milady!?" Yuzuki screamed. She ran over and knelt next to me on the floor. "What's the matter?! What has happened?!"
"My water has broken. The baby is on the way." I said calmly. I grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly. "You must go get Unohana. She promised to deliver our baby. Hurry Yuzuki."
"I'm not supposed to leave you alone, milady." She responded. I looked at her and squeezed her hand once more before letting go.
"You have to. If you don't me and the baby will not survive." I said. She nodded and ran from the room. Hurry, Yuzuki, I thought as another pain tore through my womb.
About twenty minutes later Yuzuki came back with Isane (I think that's what Unohana's assistant captain is called), Unohana, and a couple of other men in tow. The men picked me up and carried me to mine and Byakuya's room. They gently laid me on the bed and Unohana began to get ready for the birth. Another contraction hit and I groaned in pain.
The men stared at me and I glared back at them. Unohana noticed and gestured for them to leave and they did swiftly.
"Yuzuki I need you to go get a bucket of water and some towels. Also I need you to send word to Captain Kuchiki about the birth. Tell them he needs to come immediately." Unohana said. Yuzuki nodded and hurried from the room. Unohana turned back to me and checked to see how far along in the birth I was.
"You will be able to push when Yuzuki comes back." She said. I nodded and then winced as another contraction hit. After about ten minutes Yuzuki came back holding a large bucket of water and some towels.
"Did you manage to get word out to Captain Kuchiki?" Unohana asked.
"Yes ma'am. One of the men that came with you are on the way to the meeting he was supposed to attend right now. Um, by the ma'am why didn't you go? It's supposed to be a captain's meeting."
"It wasn't an important meeting so I stayed behind to take care of the injured." Unohana replied. She spread my knees wide so she could move in between them and checked my progress once more.
"You're ready. You need to push on my count, OK." She said. I nodded and readied myself.
"1…2…3, PUSH!" she yelled. I grunted and then pushed with all my might.
"That was good. I need you to do that again, OK. Now PUSH!"
I once again pushed with all my might. I screamed as the pain in my womb rocketed through my body. I panted as I lay back onto the pillows I was propped up on.
"You just need to push one more time and your baby will be here, Neliel. Now 1…2…3, PUSH!"
I pushed again as I screamed out in pain, and as I screamed I felt my baby leave my baby and heard the most wonderful sound in the world. The cry of my new born baby. I raised my head and saw Unohana cradling a tiny infant covered in blood. Tiny cries escaped its tiny lips. I felt tears of happiness leak out of my eyes.
"A baby boy" Unohana said as she handed the baby to me. I smiled down at my baby as I cradled him in my arms. He was beautiful even though he was covered in blood. He had a shock of black hair on the top of his head and silver eyes. He was like a mini Byakuya. So precious. I handed my son to Isane and she took him away to clean him up. I laid still as Unohana cleaned me up and the men came back into the room to help me up as Yuzuki changed the bedding.
After she was done the man who was holding me gently laid me down and helped me get propped up. Just as I got comfortable Byakuya burst into the room. He ran over to the edge of the bed and kneeled down next me.
"I'm sorry, Nel" he said as he held my hand in his. I frowned at him, wondering why he was sorry.
"I don't understand why you're sorry." I said.
"I wasn't here to witness our baby's birth. I wasn't here to help you through the birth. I'm a terrible husband."
"No you're not. You can't help that there was a meeting today. What matters is that you're here and that you love me and our son." I said as I caressed Byakuya's face. His eyes widened in surprise.
"It was a boy?" he asked. I nodded and laughed as I wide grin crossed his face. He opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by Isane who had come back into the room carrying our baby in her arms. Byakuya stood up and walked over to her.
"Your son, Captain Kuchiki." She said as she handed our son to Byakuya. He gently cradled our baby as he turned back to me a smile on his face. He came and sat next to me and I leaned against him. I stroked the side of our sons face and then looked up at Byakuya. A look of awe was on his face as he stared at our son.
"Thank you, so, so, much Nel. I never imagined I'd have a family and now I do. A beautiful wife and a handsome son. I love you both so much."
"I love you, too, Byakuya-kun." I said and then I kissed him gently on the lips. He responded and started to deepen the kiss but our son gave a cry and we looked down at smiling. He had a look on his tiny face that said "please don't do that in front of me".
"What should we name him?" Byakuya asked as he wrapped the arm that wasn't holding our son around my shoulders.
"I was kind of thinking I like the name Magnus. I know it's not Japanese but I was reading a book, you know those romance books I like, and the main character's love interest was named Magnus. I liked that name. what do you think Byakuya-kun?"
Byakuya looked at me then down at our son. After a moment he smiled and looked back up at me.
"I like it. Magnus it is."
We sat there cuddled together and I couldn't help but think how I wouldn't change anything in my life because it all led to this moment. I finally had the family I always wanted. I finally had my happy ending.