This was an idea that's been rattling around in my head. Let me know how you feel. Warning it isn't Beta-ed… so enjoy. Let me know how you feel via comment or PM which ever you please. Possible Chaptered Story (PCS) dealing with his interactions with reuniting with those he lost…? If that's the case I will probe rewrite to give more history. Cool? Cool.

He didn't regain his powers after the war. Super AU.

I don't own Bleach or any of the characters. I make no money from this.

Ichigo was dying… And he really couldn't bring himself to care much.

Karin had left the living world young. He says left because Karin left purposefully, he knew that even though the others told him otherwise. He knew her powers grew stronger over the years and she had been ensnared just as he had been all those years ago. He also knew what they had tried to keep from him but he had seen it long ago with they had been young. There had been a mutual level of enamorment between his sister and a certain captain. She left when she was 25 although she looked younger. Her night black hair had grown out and she had taken to wearing it down again. She had grown so much but she still seemed so small to Ichigo as she hadn't met his shoulder in hight. She had also remained thin, maintaining her build with sports and (he wasn't supposed to know) fighting hollows. Since the war she had seemed a bit lighter though her personality had remained as sharp and biting as it had ever been. She attended a university in Karakura for sports medicine while also training with Urahara and the others. She had graduated but by that time she was spending more time dealing with the spirit world that she made the decision to join them permanently so with the help of Urahara she had stepped out of her body and didn't return. Ichigo had been told there had been an accident when she was driving home but he was no fool.

And with her departure, to add salt to Ichigo and Yuzu's wounds, Isshin had followed after her. He had gotten his own powers back during the war and was helping with patrols, which subsequently meant a growing distance between himself and the two family members that couldn't see or interact with the spirit world. Yuzu and Ichigo more often than not ate dinner together, leaving the left overs in the fridge, and spent the night together studying. He gave them his reasons. Too look after Karin and be in a better position to protect his family among other things Ichigo couldn't remember because he had zoned out by the first sentence out of the man's mouth. Yuzu had been devastated and cried for days after their departure. For months she found herself cooking enough food for four instead of two which would upset her more. She had been given time off from her university which she had spent in depression. Ichigo would come home after his own classes at the med school to find her sitting in the living room in near silence just staring at the wall with the radio on.

She had bounced back and finished the last bit of her schooling, graduating with high marks from the nursing program. Ichigo had been so proud of her. After the ceremony he had pulled her into his arms for a big hug which she returned. They had asked a person near them if she would snap a few quick pictures of them. The woman had done so with a smile before looking between them. She had asked if they were the same Kurosaki family that had lost two family members earlier that year. Ichigo had confirmed softly, looking over to Yuzu who was frowning as well. She was with the school's newspaper. She had turned to Yuzu and asked for an interview for the alumni magazine. Yuzu had agreed and sure enough the next issue of the schools alumni magazine was released with an image of the two Kurosaki hugging on the front cover. Yuzu's interview had been the feature piece and it had garnered a lot of attention. Yuzu had received so many calls about job offers and nurturing her career with more schooling, but she had done what she had longed to do. She worked at a smaller office in the pediatric department where she was adored by all of the children. It was also where she eventually met her husband, Dr. Hiro Yasuda.

It had been a slow romance that Ichigo took joy (probably too much joy) watching. He himself had become a Family Practitioner, taking up running the Kurosaki Clinic after a few years of being an Emergency Doctor at the local hospital. Hiro has a gentle, quite man which went very well with Yuzu's exuberance. He would often come over to the Kurosaki residence after their office closed and would have dinner with them. Yuzu had decided not to move out of the house and it was closer that Hiro's home so more often then not Ichigo would come in from closing down the clinic to find Yuzu and Hiro setting the table and making dinner together. They had toed around each other so much sometimes that Ichigo almost couldn't contain his laughter. He hadn't put up the protective big brother act with Hiro like he had with the few other men Yuzu had dated because he could tell this man was nothing but the best for his baby sister. When they finally admitted their feelings to each other it also became common for Ichigo to find them curled up together on the couch in a table of limbs on weekends off for movie marathons. He would simply turn off the TV, cover them with a blanket, and retreat to his room.

They were eventually married and they moved out. They bought a house closer to their jobs which also happened to be closer to him too (he wasn't complaining). They had left for their honeymoon and Ichigo had been left with a quiet house again. He hadn't realized exactly how much he had come to rely on Yuzu being there. They would be gone a week on their honeymoon but so much longer than that. He would be alone…

But he wasn't because he closed down the clinic on Monday and shuffled into the kitchen to find Yuzu and Hiro setting the table and cooking dinner together. They had smiled at him as he looked at them blankly. It became a routine. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Yuzu and Hiro would eat dinner with him, nag him a bit about going out to find someone for himself, then wish him a good night and head home.

Then came the announcement. Yuzu was pregnant. Ichigo looked at them for a moment before his face nearly cracked with his large smile. He immediately called all babysitting duties.

Yuzu and Hiro had four children. Their first had been a little boy who inherited his fathers dark mop of hair and Yuzu's chocolate colored eyes. The next had actually been a set of identical twin girls with Yuzu's Honey colored hair and Hiro's light grey eyes. They turned into the pranksters of the family, full of mischief and creativity that left no one safe. Their youngest was another little boy, the spitting image of his mother but with a personality closer to his father.

He had been so happy to become an Uncle. He would offer to take the children anytime he could. He thinks it might have made Yuzu a bit upset that he himself had settled down but settled alone.

Everything had been good and Ichigo should have realized that something was coming. Yuzu had started not feeling well. She had been under the weather for a long time and both he and Hiro had older her repeatedly to go to her doctor. She had always said she was just tired and she just needed sleep. But she was loosing weight and didn't get sleep. She had finally given in on a Monday night when he and Hiro found her in the bathroom unable to keep down her dinner.

She came back to the clinic on Friday the next week with Hiro. The kids had been put in the play room (yes he made a play room) and the three sat down for a talk. Yuzu had been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. He sat stunned as he looked between the two.

The children stayed with him often during Yuzu's fight with cancer. Hiro always apologized but Ichigo would always let him know that they were always welcome for however long was needed. It was also during this time that a few other children came under Ichigo's care. Uryuu and Orihime's two sons came into his care after they died. He hadn't talked to them in ages. He didn't know how they died. He was told an illness but… The oldest was a year older than Haru, Yuzu and Hiro's youngest son and the longer was the same age as the Twins.

It was crushing when Yuzu lost her fight. Hiro was devastated and the children where no better off. Ichigo invited Hiro to stay with him for a while. Take off work and relax. If he really wanted to he could help with the clinic. Hiro took him up on it and Ichigo's relatively small house was suddenly full. He slept on the couch most nights, letting some of the children share his bed.

Eventually Hiro went back to work, though he moved to the hospital. He worked there for a few years when Ichigo got a call. There was some kind of explosion that went off at the hospital. When Ichigo arrived he realized what had actually happened. There were deep gouges cut up the side of the building. Claw marks. It had been a hollow that attacked the hospital. Hiro had been found dead and Ichigo knew exactly why. Hiro like Yuzu, had developed the ability to kind of see the spirits somehow. They had been drawn to him.

Now it was just him and his six children, which lead him to this moment.

His children (nieces and nephews but they were family so they were his and that's all that mattered) were grown and had children of their own. They all understood that their Uncle Ichi would be leaving soon. His children understood but the little ones had been horribly upset when they had been told. Ichigo had them gather around his bed and he told them stories of a young man who had stormed the soul society years ago. He told them of great sword fights, monsters, and heroes. They've all heard the stories before but they were all suckers for Uncle Ichi's. They didn't know that the stories were about him in his youth but some of them saw the spirits and the others were all believers (hard not to be).

So he told the children he was going to be like that boy and storm the seireitei. He was going to bust in from whatever district he would be from and he was going to str up all sorts of trouble. The little ones giggled and most of them encouraged him. Only two little Ishida's with their seemingly inherited seriousness discouraged him. His children, who knew the stories and who he was n them, just looked on fondly.

"I'm not sure you're in the best condition to take on the shinigami uncle," Tamami, one of Yuzu's twin girls, laughed.

"Whipper snappers these days!" he cried in return jokingly. "No respect! No respect at all!"

"But uncle Ichi!" cried one of the little ones, genuine concern in her voice. "If you make a fuss with the shinigami they could hurt you!"

"Eh," Ichigo huffed, taking her hand gently. "They wouldn't know what to do with your old uncle."

Giggles followed his proclamation and they there was a weight on the bed next to him.

They youngest of his little ones, a boy named Sho, and gripped onto the mattress and was pulling himself up next to him. He looked into Ichigo's eyes, full of worry and sadness.

"They won't take you away right away will they?" he asked quietly. "You'll get to stay with us until they come and get you? We'll get to say goodbye?"

Ichigo wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him close to his chest. "Of course," he replied. "I will stay with all of you 'til the very end. 'Til they drag me away."

The little ones all nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

"Now why don't you all run along and have some fun?" he asked. "Uncle Ichi is getting kinda tired. You don't wanna hang around the room while I take a nap do you?"

His little ones were off in a shot as they all raced from the room and down the hall. Now it was just him and his children, as well as the children of Uryuu and Orihime and the children that had been adopted into the family in whatever way.

"Uncle Ichi," Masako, Tamami's twin began, making her way to his bed side. "How are you feeling?"

"As good as an old man can," he returned with a grin.

A dark haired man pushed up his glasses with his thumb. "I don't think that's what she's really asking," Rin Ishida said smoothly.

"And there is that seriousness," Ichigo muttered to himself before talking more to the others in the room. "It was the truth. But… I will probably pass soon. As in possibly even tonight sometime. Maybe even sooner."

It was strange giving himself just a few hours of life left, but he felt it, deep in his bones that he was right.

"But there is no sense for you to be worrying about an old man like me. This has been coming for a long time. I have lived a nice full life and I have all of my children and little ones with me so I'm happy. Besides you know I'm not going anywhere bad."

"We're just a bit worried for you Uncle, that's all. We know it will be hard for you when you go back to the seireitei. You haven't been there is so long. And your friends… and our parents they…"

"Oh don't think like that," Ichigo said to her and himself really. "They all thought they were doing the right thing."

"That doesn't really excuse them," Rin spoke up again. "My mother and father barely spoke to you anymore and when I was born your friendship was nothing. But you took me in after they died and you…"

Ichigo sighed. "Yes I was left alone… by pretty much everyone other than Yuzu. It was painful. It still is to this day. But I've outlived all of them by decades and those decades have taught me so much. I will handle it. I will. have. REVENGE!" he ended jokingly with a bark of horse laughter that ended with a coughing fit that had the children bustling around him in a tizzy.

He settled back down and smiled up at all of them. "Go play with your children," he ordered. "I'll be up for dinner."

"No Uncle. You stay in bed. If we catch you out of bed again we will tie you down!"

That wasn't a joke Ichigo realized as he settled back into the bed and closed his eyes. It had been a promise and he had never been more proud.

Ichigo blinked his eyes open. He felt lighter than he had in probably 30 years. He doesn't hurt as he pushes himself to sit up (he did that on his own!), his limbs didn't buckle and his joints didn't creak. As he looked around the room he realized his vision was clear for the first time since he was in his 50s.

He understands as he looks down at the bed. He had left behind his body. He sighed and moved off the bed. His feet touched the floor and despite the fact that he was dead, he smiled. He left the room and made his way down the hall way to the living room where he family was, swifter then he had moved in so long but so slow to what he had been capable of in his youth.

He stood in the entrance to the living room and looked over his family. They hadn't realized he was there yet as the little ones played. It was Sho who looked up and saw him over his mother's shoulder. The little boy gasped gaining the attention of the others who turned in his direction and for some reason, Ichigo suddenly felt nervous. He looked down at himself. It was odd that he appeared different. He was dressed in a plain green yukata tied at his wait with a deep red obi. His hands were large and strong looking and he was tall again. His feet were bare on the hardwood floor.

But then there was a question that was shouted out at him from one of his little ones. "Are you here to take uncle Ichi away?"

"He isn't dressed like a shinigami you dummy!"

They didn't recognize him!

"I'm hurt!" he cried, sipping away a fake tear, and god he had somehow become his father. "How could you not recognize me! My little ones don't remember me!"

There was a collection of amazed gasps.

"Uncle Ichi!?"

"So," he began casually. "Still think I can't take on the shinigami?" He looked at Tamami with a grin before turning to the little once. "Well what do you guys think? Think I can take on that mean old captain Byakuya now?"

They nodded, eyes wide.

Then there was a black butterfly fluttering across his line of sight and Ichigo frowned deeply. That was fast. He just died. He had figured he would have more time. And then there was a man there. Standing on the coffee table with his head bowed and hand on his sword in some "Good guy" pose. He was talking to himself two, running a personal monolog of exaggerated heroics, before he finally looked up and surveyed the area.

He talked quietly to himself but dramatically and he caught sight of Ichigo.

"And the hero Taichi Jirou finds another lost soul to send to the glories of soul society." And Ichigo honestly couldn't handle anymore. He was the local shinigami and also incredibly new.

And then a shoe flew out of nowhere and slammed into the side of Jirou's face. The shinigami stopped, spinning around again to look at the human's in the room.

"Yeah," Ichigo said slowly, wholly unimpressed. "Most of them can see you."

The shinigami's jaw dropped as he looked between the large group of humans to Ichigo and back. He was mumbling quickly under his breath. Ichigo sighed before he turned back to his family.

"Listen to me very carefully." he said. "I don't want to see any of you for a very long time. I want you to live long happy lives. If I can sneak away to come visit I will. When you do come to the soul society, you know where to find me."

"Siring up trouble Uncle?" Shin asked.

"Exactly." Ichigo grinned before turning back to the shinigami who was still muttering to himself. "Listen, why don't you do your job. And I don't need some long-winded spiel about how awesome the soul society is."

The shinigami looked fronted and there was giggling in the back ground. As the shinigami approached Ichigo took another look to his family, taking in all of their faces. "I love you." He said as the shinigami pressed the hilt of his zanpakutō to his forehead.

Then there was a warmth, and his eyes slid shut.

"Ichigo, can you hear me?"