Chapter One: The End
"Rukia!" Ichigo screamed as he saw Aizen with Rukia in his arms, his zanpakuto pressed to her throat. His eyes met her gaze and held it, seeing the complete and total fear in her violet orbs. She looked like a rabbit caught in a hunter's trap. Tears rimmed her lashes as she knew she was too weak from battle, and could not escape the hold she was in. She knew that she was at the mercy of the traitor.
Ichigo was in a state of panic. Oh, my god! I can't lose Rukia! This can't be happening! I can't attack him with her in that position; I'd risk hurting her!
"Could this woman mean so much to you, Substitute?" Aizen drawled calmly as if they were having a conversation over tea together in his living room.
"Let her go, you coward!" Ichigo threw at him, desperately trying to think of a way to get Rukia away from Aizen without her getting hurt. He had to get her to safety. That was his number one priority at the moment.
"A coward, am I? Knowing what you are capable of, Substitute, would a coward be able to do this?"
To Ichigo's utter horror, Aizen slowly began to draw his zanpakuto across Rukia's throat. He could see that he had sliced heavily, her blood spraying out as if they were all in a Quentin Tarantino flick. Ichigo saw red at seeing Rukia's blood being shed, her unconscious body limp in Aizen's arms. Because of Ichigo's distress, his hollow decided that this was his time to shine.
They've hurt Queen, King! Let me out! Let me out!
Ichigo was too distracted to fight it this time, and his eyes became black with yellow irises as his mask covered his face. He launched himself towards Rukia as she plummeted to the ground below. He grabbed Rukia before she hit and left her in Byakuya's and Orihime's care, the latter not hesitating to begin healing the petite shinigami. Seeing that Rukia was safe, Ichigo launched back into the air to Aizen's position like a heat-seeking missile.
"You'll die for hurting her," he growled. He lunged toward Aizen, who shunpoed away from him. "Getsuga Tensho!" he fired his attack at Aizen, surprisingly landing a hit. Ichigo chuckled. "Tired already? And I was just starting to play with you!"
Rukia watched with worry from where she was, Orihime having healed her already. She wanted so badly to help him, to fight with him as a team like they normally would, but she knew that she would only be a liability to him right now. It was like watching the battle with Grand Fisher all over again. All she could do was watch helplessly as Ichigo clashed swords with the traitor. Aizen was the only one left; Gin had already fallen, and Tosen had been taken out by none other than his betrayed lieutenant, Shuuhei Hisagi. Her heart thudded like a drum in her chest with each clanging sword strike, frightened for Ichigo's life.
Byakuya anxiously watched his sister out of the corner of his eye though he mostly watched the battle. Kurosaki certainly had gained better control over his hollow, but this was not cause for celebration. He was still in hollow form, unacceptable for a shinigami, even a substitute one. He gauged her reaction with concern. He could see how much she cared for him, even if she did not want to admit it. It was the same exact look of worry and anxiety that Hisana would always have set in her features before he would leave to battle a hollow. It was fear of not seeing him again, fear of not being able to say the things left unsaid, and most of all...there was love, and the fear that that love would die before her eyes. He subconsciously wondered what it was that she saw in this brash youth. But then, Rukia was never anything like her sister. Rukia was just about as brash as Ichigo at times; that much he could not cover up with the Kuchiki name. Perhaps they were perfect for each other, he mused. His attention was abruptly drawn back to the battle as she screamed a pained, high-pitched shriek-not unlike that of a wounded animal.
"ICHIGO!" Rukia shouted as she ran to his side. She saw where he had fallen, Aizen having crashed in a heap somewhere in the distance, blood spraying across the sky as he did so. The traitor was dead. Her fear was that the victor was as well. She could just barely sense his normally wild and strong reiatsu and it was fading faster than the tail of a shooting star flying across the sky. She could feel Orihime close behind her, and couldn't help but want to yell at her to stay back, but she knew that the girl was essential to Ichigo's survival. Rukia knew that Orihime's powers of rejection were Ichigo's only hope of recovery at this point. Rukia used her shunpo to reach him first, to make sure for herself if he was okay.
She got to his side, and was horrified that he was so still. "Ichigo!" she shouted again, and he stirred. "Ichigo, say something!" Her voice lowered to a barely audible whisper, "Don't leave me..."
Ichigo opened his eyes, now back to their original amber hue, though not with the usual spark of life they normally held. He locked his eyes with her worried gaze. "Calm down, midget. I'm n-not dead, yet." He managed a soft chuckle before he went into a coughing fit to rival one of Captain Ukitake's, coughing up blood as he tried to sit up.
"Shh, don't try to move," she said tenderly, placing his head in her lap, stroking his unruly tangerine-colored hair gently.
"Is he dead?" Ichigo asked her, that being his only worry now that he knew she was safe, and alive.
"Yes," she answered. "He's gone."
"Good..." Ichigo passed out.
"Ichigo? ICHIGO!" Rukia cried out, desperate to see him so much as flutter an eyelid to show that he hadn't died on her. She just barely sense his reiatsu, and that scared the hell out of her.
Orihime immediately began to reject his wounds even before she stopped and knelt at his side. It took over an hour, but he finally awakened. "Ichigo," the auburn-haired beauty smiled softly, tears of joy in her eyes at seeing him awaken.
"Thank you, Orihime," he smiled gratefully back at her. His eyes immediately went to Rukia, who hadn't left his side, his head still resting comfortably in her lap. "Hey," he said gently.
She smiled lovingly at him, relief clear in her face. "Hey, yourself, idiot," she laughed softly. "You're going to be alright, now." She helped him sit up slowly. She looked at the ground, away from him, the hot tears threatening to fall once again. "I...I thought I had lost you."
He placed his hand under her chin and guided her face back in his direction. He looked deep into her eyes, as if probing her very soul. "Never," he said simply.
Orihime took this as her cue to leave them alone. She could see now that Ichigo only had eyes for Rukia. It hurt, yes, but Rukia was one of her best friends, and she would never hurt her by trying to steal Ichigo away from her. Especially not when it was clear that he loves her as much as he does. She smiled sadly as she turned away. Yes, it hurts, but I only want you two to be happy, she thought to herself as she went off to search for others in need of healing.
"Ichigo, I-" Rukia began, but he placed a finger to her lips.
"I know. We'll talk later," he smiled. She smiled back, knowing that he already knew what she was going to say. That was one of the many things she loved about their relationship. They always seemed to know what the other was thinking before it was said.
"My idiot son is alive!" Isshin ran towards them, interrupting their moment.
"Oi! Where the hell did you leave Karin and Yuzu? Are they alright?" Ichigo bellowed.
"They're safe at Urahara's with Tessai." Isshin reached a hand out to help his son stand, before pulling him into a big hug. "I'm glad you're alright, son. I don't think Masaki would have forgiven me if I had lost the man she died trying to save."
Ichigo was speechless. His dad had never really shown him affection like that. He hugged him back before pulling away quickly, realization dawning on him. "Wait a minute! How do you know Hat 'n' Clogs? And what the hell are you doing in a shinigami uniform? And is that a captain's haori you're wearing?"
"It's a long story, and one I will save until you're fully recovered," he winked.
"Your Royal Highness, are you telling me that Jushiro and I were right and that Ichigo is indeed your son?" Captain Kyoraku asked as he walked up.
"Royal Highness?" Ichigo and Rukia exclaimed at the same time.
"Thanks, Shunsui. You just let the cat out of the bag," Isshin groaned. "And didn't I tell you years ago, just to call me 'Isshin'?"
"Haha, I guess old habits die hard, old friend," Shunsui chuckled.
Ichigo looked from Kyoraku, to Ukitake, then back to his father, all of whom were simply smiling at him like they knew something he didn't...which was true in this case. "Oh yeah, Goat Chin," he muttered. "You've definitely got some explaining to do!"
"Later, son. Later, because this obviously concerns your sisters, as well, and I only wanna tell it once."
Rukia could only stare in shock. What the hell is going on here? My captain knew about this and never said anything? Oh, well. I guess he figured it was Isshin's place to spill the beans. But still...and how did I never notice his reiatsu before? It's as wild as Ichigo's!
A week later, Ichigo and Rukia sat on the roof of the Kurosaki home. Ichigo was fully recovered now, thanks to Captain Unohana.
A ceremony had been held for those lost in the Winter War, and the Vizards were planning a huge party to celebrate the end of the war, and their acceptance back into Soul Society. Even Yoruichi, Urahara, and Tessai were cleared of their supposed crimes, and were welcomed back with open arms.
Nel had come back with them from Hueco Mundo, not wanting to be left alone after the war. Her brothers, Dondochakka and Peshe, were never found and so she had no one. Isshin, Karin and Yuzu accepted her without question. She was in a gigai, and still a little girl since she was unable to return to her adult form after her battle with Espada 3. At Nel's request, Urahara had given her a gigai that would bond to her soul and allow her to grow as a normal child would. Nel was currently sleeping in Ichigo's bed, after having a nightmare and running straight for him to scare the monster away.
A companionable silence blanketed Ichigo and Rukia as they looked up at the clear night sky, the moon illuminating them.
"Rukia," he said her name softly, as if it were a sacred prayer.
"Yes?" she didn't turn her gaze from the twinkling lights above them.
"I'm sorry I worried you," Ichigo stated, sounding almost ashamed that he had allowed himself to get hurt.
Rukia turned to look at him, clearly shocked at his words. "If anything, I should apologize for worrying you. If I had been more careful, Aizen would never have gotten a hold of me, and you wouldn't have had to let your hollow out."
It was Ichigo's turn to be surprised. "I'm pretty sure my hollow would have had to come out eventually. Aizen was tough. Especially when he went hollow." They both looked back to the sky. He sighed, then asked his next question, though he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer. "Are you afraid of my hollow form?"
Rukia looked at him again, straight into his eyes; it almost seemed like she was hurt that he would think that of her after all they'd been through. "How could I be afraid of something that's a part of you? I accept you for who you are, and that means all of you, Ichigo. If I don't trust your hollow form, how could I trust you? I know that you can control your hollow, and that you would never hurt anyone close to you when in that form."
His mind went back to when he went full hollow and had almost killed Uryuu when he had gotten in the way during his fight with Ulquiorra. He shook the thought away and his mind returned to the present conversation. "I was just wondering, because Orihime is scared shitless whenever I go hollow."
"Maybe she doesn't know you as well as I do," Rukia said softly, but there was an edge to her voice, almost as if she were offended by having her actions compared to those of their friend. Her gaze never left the stars above them. She thought of Orihime as a close friend, yes, but her obsession with Ichigo was wearing on everyone's nerves, especially Rukia's. A blind monkey could see that Ichigo didn't return Orihime's feelings, but Orihime herself was too blind to see that she wasn't anything more than a close friend to Ichigo, and that she had someone trying to get her attention all along. Uryuu, it was just as obvious, was more than entranced by the girl, but she treated him as only a trusted friend. Rukia had a feeling that things might change now that Orihime had finally realized that the door to Ichigo's heart was closed to her.
Ichigo resolved to take the plunge. He reached out to gently guide her face around so that she was looking in his eyes. He surprised her by pulling her into a tight hug, effectively gaining her full attention. "I was so scared when I couldn't feel your reiatsu when we were fighting in Hueco Mundo. I thought you were dead, and I went nuts. Just ask Nel. If I had known where you were, I would have been at your side in an instant." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you. And then I found out you were okay, and I was so incredibly proud of you to have beaten an espada. And for you to survive that, just to have Aizen try to take you from me...that was it. My hollow took over and I didn't care, I just wanted the bastard dead."
"Ichigo..."
He took a deep breath and continued, making sure he said his piece before he lost the nerve. "I don't think anyone knows me as well as you do, Rukia," his voice was soft and tender as he held her gaze, his face-he was sure-was red as the fruit she affectionately used as his nickname, and he could see a pretty blush by the light of the moon shining on her face. "And maybe I'm full of myself, but I don't think even Renji knows you as well as I do now."
She couldn't speak. Her eyes searched his for some meaning to what he was telling her; to see if it was what she dared to hope it was. Her heart was thudding in her chest for a different reason now. Ichigo...what are you telling me?
"I don't think I've ever told you this before, but if I have, it bears repeating. After my mother died, my world was in a constant state of mourning. The rain just wouldn't stop. Not even my sisters could bring me out of it. And then I met you. And the more I was around you I realized something." He swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat just would not leave him. He was never really the romantic type, even if he did enjoy reading and re-reading Shakespeare's sonnets and plays, it was different to act on the things he read. Then again, he had never-until now-met anyone he deemed as worthy of being romantic with. But then, she always did seem to bring out the best in him. "Rukia...you stopped the rain."
She gasped. She had never heard him be so forward with her, so open. So honest. He was laying his heart bare for her. Is he trying to say what I think he's trying to say? She wanted him to say it first. She was surprised when he didn't say anything, but instead acted on his instincts. He slowly leaned in towards her until his lips pressed to hers with a gentle passion. She was only still for a moment, and when the shock wore off she kissed him back with all the emotion she had been holding back for a while now.
When the kiss ended, he spoke again. "I love you, Rukia Kuchiki. And I don't care if your brother doesn't like me, or whatever. Nothing else matters to me, except the possibility that you love me, too."
Rukia smiled. Her eyes were tearing up at his tender words. She knew that she was seeing a side of him that no one had ever seen before, and probably never would. She somehow knew that this was a side of him that only she could invoke. The tears of joy fell from her eyes as she finally spoke. "Yes, Ichigo Kurosaki. I love you, too. I have ever since you fought Grand Fisher before I was taken back to be executed. And the whole time I was there, you were all I could think about. And then when you saved me...that was it. I knew my heart belonged to you, and only you."
They shared another kiss before laying back and watching the stars together in a comfortable silence once more, before climbing back inside.
Rukia gently picked Nel up and carried her to Yuzu and Karin's room. Isshin had insisted that Rukia sleep in Ichigo's room again, as the two were obviously a couple. He had gotten a new bed for her, giving Nel her old one.
Rukia watched her sleep for a moment after tucking her in tightly. Nel looked so sweet and innocent while she slept, you would never think she was anything other than a little girl. Rukia gently pushed a strand of hair off of Nel's face and smiled. Without thinking about what she was doing, she leaned down and kissed Nel on the forehead.
She didn't realize it, but Ichigo had seen the whole thing. He watched her with a gentle smile on his face, marveling at how natural Rukia was with her mothering instinct, when she had never had a mother herself.
"You're good at that, you know," Ichigo smirked when she had closed the door to his sister's room.
"What?" Rukia asked, genuinely confused.
"Taking care of her," he answered.
"Are you getting soft on me, Strawberry?" Rukia teased with a smile as she shut his bedroom door behind her.
"No, midget, I'm not getting soft on you. It was just an observation." He pulled a shirt from his dresser and changed into it. Rukia opted to change in the closet, per usual, and emerged wearing a knee-length short-sleeved satin night gown that looked more like one of her everyday dresses rather than sleepwear.
"Whatever," she smiled at him. She laughed gently, and her smile grew a little sad. "I would try to take care of any little children that came along when we were living in Inuzuri. I remembered what it was like to not have anyone to care for you, and I felt like I should be that person for them. So yeah, I guess it does just come natural to me."
They curled up in his bed, tonight, falling asleep in each others arms, a contented smile on both of their faces, knowing that neither would be plagued by the nightmares they had both encountered since the end of the war.
And that is how Isshin found them the next morning.
"Well, well, well! What have we here?" his booming voice echoed through the small room, jolting the couple awake rather abruptly. Rukia and Ichigo bolted up to sitting positions on the bed, Ichigo glaring daggers at his father, Rukia holding a hand to her chest in an attempt to slow her racing heart.
"Jeez, old man! Are you trying give us heart attacks?" Ichigo bellowed angrily.
"I'm just anxious to know when I can expect my grandchildren!"
"It's not like that, you pervert! We just slept!" Ichigo's voice was even louder, as if trying to overpower his father's voice.
"Oh, how modest my son is!"
"QUIET!" Rukia shouted, louder than both Kurosaki males. Afterward, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. "Enough! We only slept, Kurosaki-san! Give us a break!"
After finally getting downstairs and having breakfast, Isshin addressed them all. "I need to tell you all something that I've been hiding from you. A secret that only your mother and a few others knew." He took a deep breath. Before he could continue, Rukia spoke.
"This is a family discussion. I should leave. Come on, Nel," she said as she stood to leave the table, motioning to the little girl.
"Stop right there, Rukia, and you, too, Nel. I don't think there is a person here that doesn't consider you two a part of the family by now. And, Rukia, I'm not just blowing smoke when I call you my third daughter." He smiled. "Besides, I know that one of these days I'll get to call you my daughter-in-law." He smiled at the intense blush on both Rukia's and Ichigo's faces. He wasn't as stupid as they all thought he was. That was just an act. He saw how they looked at each other when they thought no one was watching...including each other.
Rukia sat back down in her chair next to Ichigo. She was both embarrassed and touched at Isshin's words, the look on his face revealing that he had pieced it together some time before now, when they'd only admitted their feelings to each other just last night. She tried not to look at Ichigo as their legs accidentally brushed against each other under the table. Nel just picked up her fork again and continued eating as if there had been no interruption.
"Okay, here's the first bombshell: I am the next in line for the throne of the Soul King."
"WHAT?" Ichigo and Rukia each spat out their milk at his confession, Rukia blushing as she realized it had all gone in Isshin's face.
Karin and Yuzu sat there in shock. Karin had filled Yuzu in on everything to do with Soul Society as far as she knew. Isshin had already told them a week ago that he was a shinigami when he had taken them to Urahara's for safety. But this...this was a huge deal.
Nel smiled really big. "Yay! I'm gonna be a pwincess!" she shouted excitedly, her little legs kicking away under the table, her hand raised in the air triumphantly, the fork still in it. Ichigo and Rukia sweat dropped at the same time.
Isshin chuckled lightly at everyone's reactions as he dried his face on his napkin. "That's right. I am royalty, which makes you three royalty. And furthermore, not only was I a shinigami, also the captain of the 14th Division."
"What do you mean 14th division? There're only 13 squads," Ichigo replied.
"Actually, no," Rukia interjected. "There used to be a 14th division, but due to some event-which I'm guessing was your falling in love with your human wife and being exiled-the squad was broken up and divided amongst the other 13. The 14th squad was in charge of the living realm, and the entire squad was stationed here permanently, only returning to Soul Society to report any strange occurrences. After Squad 14 was dismembered, the responsibility over the living realm fell to Squad 13, with only a handful of the members being sent to the living realm at any given time, in the hopes that such an incident would be prevented in the future."
"That's right, third-daughter," Isshin winked at her. "But I guess history king of repeated itself in your case, ne?" He laughed at how red her face turned. He took a sip of coffee and returned to his story. "When I met Masaki, it was love at first sight. I abandoned my post, abandoned my title, Urahara helped me with a human gigai, and the rest is history. My powers were sealed in that gigai, and only recently did I get them back fully. Being of the royal family, I had a higher concentration of reiatsu-Ichigo, you know this first-hand. Thus, the gigai couldn't seal it completely. About the time Rukia first showed up in town, it started returning, little by little. Mainly because at first I thought that Soul Society had sent her to bring me back to face punishment. I wasn't going to leave my family, so I had Kisuke remove the seal on my reiatsu."
Ichigo just sat there, his expression a mirror image of the looks on Karin's and Yuzu's faces. And while Rukia was shocked, she had been able to sense his reiatsu for a while now, but thought nothing of it, thinking it was only the same as how Chad, Orihime, and even Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro had developed reiatsu just from being around Ichigo. Nel was just listening intently, as if this were one of her bedtime stories, absentmindedly shoveling in bites of pancake as she watched Isshin tell his tale.
"So let me get this straight," Ichigo began, "You said you were the next in line for the throne. So it's our grandfather that's Soul King, now?"
"No, it's your uncle. I wanted nothing to do with becoming king, and my brother was a lot older than me, so it naturally went to him. He saw that I was bored with life in the Royal Realm, and suggested that I have a little fun and enroll in the Academy under an assumed name. I did, and eventually rose to the rank of captain, along with my friends; you know them as Captain Kyoraku and Captain Ukitake." He let out a deep sigh, his face had turned serious again. "And now you know the truth. It's a lot to process, I know, but after the Winter War, you all needed to know where you stand." He pushed his chair back and stood. "Well, I'm off to the clinic. See you all later." And he left his children and Rukia to sit at the table and mull over what had been divulged.
"Wow," was all Karin could say.
"Dad's a prince..." Yuzu murmured. "I just can't see him acting all prim and proper in a royal household."
"Ditto," Rukia and Ichigo agreed at the same time.
"I'm going to my room," Ichigo muttered, before standing and walking upstairs. Rukia almost followed, but figured he need some space right now.
Rukia watched the worried expressions creep onto all three girls' faces, and decided to break the somber mood. "Come on, girls," she said as she stood and started clearing the table. "I'll help clean up."
Karin and Yuzu were unusually quiet as they all cleared the table and took the dishes to the sink. Yuzu washed the dishes, while Rukia dried them, and Karin put them away. Nel just sat on the counter and watched, even her expression wasn't as cheery as normal.
Yuzu blushed before speaking. "Rukia-chan?" she began timidly.
"Yes, Yuzu?" Rukia smiled at the girl she had become so close to over the past year or so. She thought it was so cute how Yuzu could still act so shy even around people she knows.
"Could I call you 'nee-chan'?" Yuzu blushed brighter if that were possible.
Rukia was speechless, and was further shocked when Karin spoke, her eyes showing excitement, which was something Karin usually doesn't show for anything except soccer.
"Yeah, Rukia, can we? You know we will one day, anyway."
Rukia giggled. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes at their words. She regained her senses and finally managed to speak. Even with Renji and the others in Inuzuri she had never felt this sense of belonging. This strong sense of family; of being accepted because you were wanted, not because you had no choice other than being alone. "I would be honored for you to call me your sister." The girls smiled at her as they finished the dishes.
"Me, too, Rukia-nee-chan!" Nel squealed, causing the other three to giggle, and Rukia walked over and hugged her.
"Yes, Nel, you can call me that, too, if you like."
Isshin saw and heard the whole thing from the door that led from the kitchen to the back of the clinic. He smiled. "Welcome to the family, Rukia, Nel," he whispered to himself. He turned to go to his office and sat down at his large desk. He looked at the framed picture of him, his wife, and the kids together for one of the last times before her death. Masaki? Could we really ask for a better family? He sighed. He knew that if Masaki were here now she would love the additions to their household just as much as he does.
Ichigo had way too much information floating around his brain. The news from his father was staggering to say the least. I'm royalty? This is too much... He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard soft footsteps enter the room.
"Are you alright, Ichigo?" Rukia asked quietly as she entered their room, closing the door gently behind her.
"Yeah, just a lot to process, you know?" He realized he had been staring at the ceiling for about an hour, now. He sat up, making room for her to sit.
"I can understand that," she said as she sat on his bed next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"
"Nothing to really talk about, but I mean, where does that put us? Do we have to move to Soul Society officially now? Or what? Does anyone besides Kyoraku and Ukitake realize who Dad is?" He sighed. "I have so many questions, but don't know how to ask my old man any of them, or even if I want to know any more."
Rukia flashed him a gentle knowing smile. "That's how I was when Nii-sama told me about my sister. I wasn't sure what I should ask, or if I even wanted to know, so I can definitely understand where you're coming from." She took his hand in hers, lacing her fingers with his. "But know this. It doesn't change things between us. I'm still here, and I will be for as long as you want me here."
He took in her appearance for the first time that morning. She was wearing one of her simple cotton short-sleeved dresses-despite it being the middle of winter-, and her face had a bright, glow to it that he didn't think he had ever seen before. She just seemed to radiate happiness today, and it made her beautiful indigo eyes sparkle with life. He couldn't resist those lips that were curling up into a winning smile of their own free will. He leaned in and kissed her softly.
"Thank you, Rukia."
"For what?"
"I don't know, just...thank you."