Beginnings

Hitsugaya Toshiro frantically panicked as he tried to get changed. He had fallen out of bed in a hurry as the hell butterfly had completed its message. He hopped around the room as he pulled on one of his sandals and searched for the other one. The one day he had picked to be disorganized, he had to leave in a hurry. As he stumbled across the room, seeing the mischievous sandal, he checked the time. It was eleven forty three at night. He sighed in frustration and heaved on his captain's coat as he ran for the door.

Just as he was about to leave, he almost crashed into his vice-captain who was half dressed, and obviously looking for him as she got the same hell butterfly message.

"Taicho, you better hurry!" she giggled, as he zoomed past her.

"I know! I know!" he shouted back as he got further away from her.

It was a crisp December night; well it was the last December night anyway. It was December the thirty first or better known as New Year's Eve. The moon was high and shone down on him as he ran down to the forth division. As he passed a few members, they had obviously heard the news and were giving him thumbs up as he sprinted past, flustered and panicked.

The message from the black and crimson butterfly played over in his head; "Would Hitsugaya-Taicho please report to the fourth division barracks, your wife is now in labour. I repeat, would Hitsugaya-Taicho please report to the fourth division barracks, your wife is now in labour."

He almost couldn't believe it. He knew she had been pregnant for nine months now, nearly ten. She had been over due for a few weeks and so Captain Unohana insisted that he return to his barracks where he could catch up on his sleep, since he had been with his wife every day and night since she was told to stay there. Finally he gave in to her request and returned to his barracks a week ago. Since then all he'd pretty much done was sleep. He was exhausted from staying awake so long to comfort her when she got worried about the pregnancy, or running to her barracks to get her the pillow she liked because the one she had was uncomfortable. He had done everything he could for her these past nine months, all to keep her happy. Even when her hormones spiked up and she got angry when he just asked what she wanted for breakfast and her reply was "What? So do you enjoy spending more time in the kitchen than with me now? Is the toaster better company? Does the fridge make better conversation?", but he didn't care. He would just shrug it off and apologize to her. And when she was showered with baby toys at the party Rangiku threw her, he resisted from ripping their ugly heads off. Everything he did was for her. These past nine months, she had been his sun to revolve around.

It had all seems so much simpler three years ago when they got married. It was the first day of blossom in April. It was her favourite time of year, so he agreed to have the wedding then. The sun was shining although many had said it would rain. The sky was clear too, so they were able to wed outside. The chairs were aligned with neat light blue bows on the back. There were peach blossom flowers that had sprinkled over the aisle. He was wearing a traditional wedding kimono that was a navy blue and grey. Ukitake had begged to perform the ceremony, and since he was a captain, he was legible (although Toshiro himself wasn't best pleased that it was him). Matsumoto was the maid of honour and stood proudly as she walked in first down the aisle, followed by Nanao, Yachiru and Isane, pouring yet more peach blossom onto the aisle. Then his beautiful wife-to-be walked in behind her. She looked incredible. Her red uchikake was decorated with beautiful pink and gold peach blossom trees. Among them were flying cranes embroidered in gold and silver. Her hair was done up in a gold pin in the shape of the sun. Two other gold pins helped to hold her up hair and had pink rose quartz beads dangling from them. She looked like a goddess. She was radiant and beautiful and he'd never seen her so happy. He smiled broadly at the memory as he remembered finally drinking the sake to unite them in marriage. He'd never felt so blissful.

However, now was a slightly different story. Rather than it being sunny, warm and blissful, it was cold, almost midnight and he was completely and utterly panicked in need to get to his wife (soon to be Mother). He had promised her he'd be there for the birth of their first child when he left to go back to his barracks. She'd smiled and told him she was glad. He wondered how 'glad' she be if he wasn't there.

He'd been running for what seemed like hours. He looked up to see the gates of the fourth division up ahead. He sighed in relief as he ran up to them and banged on the door.

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho! Let him in! Quick, quick!" he heard one of the members shout from the other side of the gate. Slowly the huge gates swung open. At the first possible opening he squeezed through. He looked at the member standing in front of him and raised a questioning eyebrow at him and he gasped for breath.

"Hai, this way sir!" the fourth division member said as he started running ahead.

Toshiro followed close behind, frantically looking ahead to see if he was almost there. He could feel her reiastu spiking in her pain and effort. He gritted his teeth.

"Kuso, how much further?" he almost screamed and his poor guider.

"N-not much more sir-ah! Here! She's in-" but he didn't get time to finish as the white-haired captain sprinted past him, now knowing where to go.

He ran through the corridors towards his wife's reiastu. He could hear her screaming. He cursed at himself again and pushed himself more to go faster. Suddenly her reiastu grow fiercely as he was nearly there. She screamed loudly as he touched the door. Suddenly he burst in the room as he saw his flustered wife in her bed and vice-captain Isane cooling her head as she breathed deeply. He then looked to the end of the bed to see Unohana carefully lifting a little baby from under the sheets.

His eyes widened as he looked to his wife who smiled broadly. She cried happy tears as Unohana handed her her baby. The Mother stroked her baby's face gently as it softly cried. Toshiro softened his gaze and smiled. He walked up to his wife and smiled. He knelt down beside her to look at their child. He was a little boy. He had a tiny little tuff on white hair on his head and chocolate brown eyes. Toshiro stroked is tiny hand as his son gently took hold of his finger.

Toshiro smiled again and almost felt like crying. He was perfect, and his wife had done a stunning job. He was so proud of them both. He kissed his wife's forehead. Unohana smiled at them,

"He was born at exactly twelve o'clock midnight. His birthday is January the first. His weight is six pounds four ounces. Congratulations to you both," Unohana said smiling and bowed slightly. The two parents nodded and smiled. Then Unohana and Isane left the room to give the new parents some time alone.

"I'm so proud. He's perfect," he whispered to her quietly.

"Toshiro, is it alright if I name him?" She spoke quietly. He didn't even have to think to answer. It was only fair that she got to name him, since she had done most of the work anyway.

"Of course."

"I want to name him Shiro," she smiled at her son "Hitsugaya Shiro," she giggled.

This took Toshiro by surprise. He looked at her then the baby. It seemed his childhood name had become of some use. He thought about it for a while before smiling, "Shiro, I love it."

His wife smiled up at him in almost a smirk "Now I have two Shiro-Chan's, ne?"

He laughed lightly "Seems you do, bed wetter."

They both laughed as he kissed her on the cheek. This was their new chapter. This was their new beginning.