Hi all, I thought that a companion piece to Unohana's Vacation would be interesting. So without claiming ownership I present……

Isshin's Date

Isshin puttered about his clinic for several days after Unohana had departed for Soul Society. Her visit had awakened feelings that had been dormant for many many years. His mind kept wandering back to her distracting him from work.

"Maybe I could try and make a go of it. Masaki has been gone for ten years now. I'm sure that the girls wouldn't mind me trying to date again. Maybe I should ask them how they feel about Retsu." He forced himself to concentrate on the work at hand.

That evening at dinner he was unusually quiet. This caused his daughters to worry.

"Dad, are you feeling alright?" Yuzu asked while wringing her hands.

"Yeah Dad what's going on? You haven't run in here and made a fool of yourself in a week." Karin chimed in to support her sister. "You aren't mooning over Retsu are you?" she said with a knowing grin on her face.

"WHAAAA! Y-y-you t-t-think I've been m-m-mooning over Retsu?" The panicked look on his face and sputtering confirmed Karin's suspicion.

"Come on Dad. Ever since she went back to Soul Society you have been moping around like a lost puppy. I'd say you were in love with her and were just trying to hide it from us." Karin stabbed directly to the point.

"Face it Dad, We know that Mom is dead and has been for ten years now. Do you think that she wants you to be alone forever?" Yuzu asked with a serious look on her face.

"Well then, it seems that you girls are trying to fix me up with my old friend." He said with a shrewd look on his face.

"Nope, we are just seeing what you want to do. Retsu is a nice lady and certainly you could do plenty worse for a girlfriend but we also know that she is a Captain of the Thirteen Protection Squads. We were just wanting to know if you wanted to see her again." Karin said in a matter of fact voice. "We also know that you were a shinigami of Captain Level. It just stands to reason that you may have known Retsu for a long time and might have had feelings for here at one time. We also don't want you to make a fool of yourself if it can be avoided." Karin stopped there but thought to herself, "Not that that has ever stopped you before."

"I'm not sure that I could be together with Retsu because of you guys. She has her work there in Soul Society and I have you girls here and the clinic. It's not like I can uproot and move you girls to Soul Society. Besides they have rules about that." He countered.

"That doesn't mean we want to move there and it doesn't mean that she has to move here. It means that if you want to try and date her then do it and see what happens." Yuzu said with her arms folded over her chest.

"I'm getting date counseling from my fifteen year old daughters. Why don't we ask Kon what he thinks? Hey KON! Come down here!"

The stuffed lion tumbled down the steps a few moments later. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

He was sewn at the hands and feet to two other stuffed plushies. "What is it that I have to do to keep you from attaching other plushies to me Yuzu?" He stormed with a sweat drop forming.

"Shut up Kon. At least I dressed you in boys clothes this time." pouted Yuzu.

"Kon, I asked you to come down here because you are a part of this family too. The girls think that I should ask Unohana out on a date. What do you think?" Isshin asked bluntly.

"ENHHH? You're asking me?" Kon was dumbstruck.

"Sure, why not, you have lived here for what? Four years now. You've earned a vote around here. All the times you stood in for Ichigo, I consider you a son. Abit furry and short, but still a son. Which is why I wanted to ask you about what the girls said about me about asking Unohana out on a date." Isshin looked at the mod soul lion.

"Um, well… And why are you asking someone that has been stuck in a plushie body for nearly three years strait without leaving the house?" Kon asked while trying to cross his arms before him and getting tangled in the other plushies.

"Because as of tomorrow you are going to have a real body again and you won't ever be in the lion again. Urahara has built several new gigai for all you mod souls seeing that you have been retired from action." Isshin said with a smile on his face.

"Retired? Why am I being retired? I'm still able to do what I do." Kon said in a somewhat worried voice.

"Well, Ririn, Nova, and Cloud were retired because there are no more Bounto to hunt and as for you…. When was the last time you had to take over for Ichigo? Almost three years if I remember correctly. And here you sit, doing nothing but playing dress up with my daughter. I can't say I'm happy about that either."

"We stuff him into a drawer when we're changing Dad. He is actually gentlemanly about things. Almost like Ichigo most of the time." Karin said.

"Which is why I want you girls to have a little brother who will be there for you as much as You will be for him. Now we are digressing from the main topic. A date with Retsu. Why are you girls so interested in me going out with her?" He was acting serious now.

"Number one; she's nice. Number two; she laughs at all your antics. Number three; she's very beautiful. Four; She is in the same line of work as you. Shall I continue?" asked a resolute Yuzu.

"Oh, and Dad, she told us that you can go there any time you want to so don't try and use that excuse. We already know that you were a Captain a long time ago so feigning ignorance is not going to work with us. Kon told us." Karin put in.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN LITTLE BROTHER!!!!" Kon shouted while flapping his tethered plushies around like a weird bird. "I'M NEARLY FIFTY YEARS OLD!"

"That makes you five in real world age so get over it." Isshin said calmly before addressing his daughters again. "So you know that I can go back any time and you are pushing me into trying to date Retsu. You are the most wonderful daughters that any father could ever have!!!" Tears flowed from his eyes as he rushed to embrace them. Karin not wanting anything to do with the impending hug stopped him with a raised foot that impacted his stomach. Isshin fell to the floor holding his stomach whimpering, "So cruel, my daughter won't allow me to share my love with her."

The following day Isshin called Urahara. "Hey Kisuke, could you patch me through to Soul Society? I want to call Retsu. Thanks." Pause as the connection is made. "Retsu? Hi, it's Isshin. I was wondering what you are doing tonight after rounds? Nothing? Would you like to grab a bite to eat at that little restaurant in the twelfth district? Provided it's still there, of course." Pause.. "OK, I'll meet you at the Western gate? About Seven? OK! Bye." He was grinning as the connection broke. "Well did you hear that Kisuke? I know you listened in so you might as well talk to me."

"Isshin, it took you long enough to ask her out. Don't screw it up!" Then the line went dead.

Isshin hung up the phone and turned around only to face the inquiring faces of Karin, Yuzu, and Kon. "Ah, I asked her, and I'll be having dinner with her tonight. Are you satisfied now?"

"Hell no I'm not satisfied. You stuck me in the body of a five year old and are making me go to school with Ririn. This is not what I signed up for!" Pouted a very cute Kon.

Karin just nodded then left pulling Kon along behind her. "Come on and let's get you in the bath. You're filthy. What did you do today take a bath in a mud puddle?"

Kon's protests fell on deaf ears as she hauled him away.

Yuzu just smiled and was almost bouncing she was so happy for her father. "Say Hi for us." Was all she said before going back to her work in the clinic.

OK, Does this warrant a second chapter? Only reviews will tell.