Hey, so I haven't been on in a while and this is my first Bleach Fanfic so please offer all criticism, unfortunately life is unpredictable and I don't know if I will be able to regularly update but please bear with me. Anyway thanks for reading and please review.
Chapter I: I'm Leaving
"In chess it's called Zugzwang… when the only viable move… is not to move…"
Ichigo sat at the kitchen table looking out the window. After 8 years of trying to make things work he couldn't anymore. If only her illness hadn't gotten worse. If only he could have saved her…
He stood up and walked into Kei's room. "Kei honey, I need you to pack your bags, only bring what you absolutely need… and Kon… pack him too," Ichigo said with tears forming in his eyes. Kei looked up at him, her amber eyes had a knowing, sorrowful look, she was only eight years old, but she knew what was happening. Ichigo nodded and closed the door softly waiting for her to finish packing. A few minutes later she emerged with a suitcase and Kon, her stuffed lion. "Daddy, I'm, ready…"
Ichigo looked his daughter in the eye, "Go tell mommy you love her…" he tried to add more but couldn't without risk of losing his control and letting the tears flow.
Kei nodded and slowly opened the door to Ichigo and Senna's room, Senna looked at Kei and smiled. "I love you mommy…" Kei said, trying her best to sound like nothing was happening.
Senna looked back at her smiling, "I love you too honey, and daddy as well."
Kei couldn't stop the tear from falling down her cheek, her mother saw it, "STOP CRYING, STOP BEING SUCH A CHILD!" Senna yelled at her daughter for no reason. Ichigo came into the room, "Kei, go wait for me," he said ushering her out of the room.
"NO YOU BASTARD LET HER STAY!" Ichigo looked at Senna with such sad eyes, the tears once again threatening to flow.
"Senna, I can't raise our daughter with this… until you decide to get proper treatment… your disorder is something I've been trying to manage for eight years… I… can't do it anymore. I'm… leaving… and Kei is coming with me…"
Senna's anger disappeared and she began sobbing loudly, "No… you can't I'll get better, I promise, I'm getting better every day."
Ichigo sighed and looked away, he grabbed the picture of her off of his night stand and quietly walked out closing the door behind him and walking to the kitchen where Kei was waiting. "Let's go sweetheart…" his voice was devoid of all life and energy, it was the voice of a man that had just lost everything.
Kei took her bag and Kon into the car and climbed in, "It's ok daddy… you tried your best," she said, trying to get him to cheer up.
Her innocent words pushed him over the edge, he pulled out of the driveway with tears streaming down his face, and sobs leaving his body. They drove for five hours to get to his father's house. He pulled up in front of it and Isshin, his father was waiting. Isshin ran up to the door next to Kei and opened it up, "Come on Granddaughter, we have so many games to play," Ichigo smiled, there was nothing that could stop Isshin from being himself.
Isshin carried Kei inside and Ichigo grabbed their bags and carried their luggage inside. He saw Kei sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons and Isshin helped Ichigo carry the bags upstairs to the room he and Kei would be sharing. "You couldn't have done anything more son." Isshin says in a serious tone.
"Except stay…"
"And let Senna's Bipolar Disorder ruin your daughter's life? Ruin your life?"
"Better than running away from the problem."
"Son, you made the right choice, and I've already gotten the paperwork to get her transferred to the school here in Karakura, she can start next Monday."
"Thanks Dad… I wish things didn't have to be this way." Ichigo said sitting the picture of Senna on the night stand.
"We all do son… we all do. Karen and Yuzu said they'll be visiting as soon as they can to make sure you're alright, but today just rest. You've earned it."
Ichigo nods and finishes unpacking.
The next two days go by, and Ichigo tries to put on a good face for Kei, but Isshin sees right through it, "Son, I know it's still soon but you need to make sure you keep your mind open… there are others, and I know that there are plenty of women that would love to get to know you and Kei, after all, you do have my stellar looks."
Ichigo simply nodded.
Monday arrives and Ichigo drives Kei to school and walks her into class, the teacher meets them outside the room. Ichigo is amazed by the teacher's height, she's only about 4' 8" she has raven hair that's cut at shoulder length and deep lavender eyes.
"Hello, I'm Miss Kuchiki," she says with a smile on her face, she leans down to Kei's level who is hiding behind Ichigo's leg, "You must be Kei."
Kei nods sheepishly, Miss Kuchiki then stands up and looks up at Ichigo, "You must be her father."
"Yes… Ichigo Kurosaki, I just wanted to make sure Kei is going to do alright, there isn't any problem with her transferring is there?"
"No sir, not at all, she should be just fine, maybe take a few days or a week to catch up, but right now the kids are working on basic math."
"Thank you, Miss Kuchiki, I'll, be leaving now." Ichigo kneeled down and looked Kei in her eyes, "Honey, this is your new teacher, Miss Kuchiki, she's going to take care of you and make sure you get smart and that way you can be like Grandpa Isshin, alright?"
Kei simply nods and gives Ichigo a big hug, "I'm not the one you need to worry about daddy."
Ichigo smiles slightly at his daughter's intuition, the teacher heard the comment and wondered what that meant but didn't ask, it wasn't her business. After school Ichigo showed up to pick Kei up from school, he walks in and sees Kei standing next to Miss Kuchiki smiling and laughing. It had been so long since he saw his daughter happy that he got the biggest smile of the last 4 years. He walked up carefully and greeted them, "Hello Miss Kuchiki, hey honey."
Miss Kuchiki looked up and smiled, "Mister Kurosaki, Kei is going to be a great addition to our class, however there is something I need to discuss with you, Kei, why don't you stay here for a minute while your father and I talk?"
Kei nodded smiling and sat there happily swinging her legs. Miss Kuchiki pulled Ichigo aside and spoke softly, "There was… an incident today, she apparently brought a stuffed animal with her and she started to get made fun of… before I could stop it she ran off to the bathroom to hide, but no matter what happened she wouldn't put the stuffed animal away… I eventually convinced her to come back to class and I didn't hear anymore comments from her classmates but… that doesn't mean there weren't any… I just wanted to let you know so that you were aware of the situation. The stuffed animal clearly meant a lot to her. She said something about…" Miss Kuchiki paused for a second.
"Her mother," Ichigo finished.
Miss Kuchiki nodded, "It just seemed rather strange what she said, she said it belonged to her 'first mother' and when I asked if you had ever remarried she said no… I don't tend to pry into personal lives but if there's something that happened that I need to know well… I need to know… for her sake."
Ichigo nodded, then waited for a minute piecing together the right way to say it, "Her mother suffered from severe Bipolar Disorder…. She would fluctuate back and forth from violence to the most loving woman ever, we… recently left her and that is why she transferred here this week… Miss Kuchiki-"
"Rukia, please," she said softly with a small smile.
"-Rukia, I don't know how sensitive she is about things of that nature so I beg you to please be watchful of that. I thank you for bringing the incident to my attention though. Kei… she's all I have left… I need her to be taken care of."
"Of course, Mister Kurosaki."
"Ichigo," he replied.
"Ichigo," she smiled at him and they parted.
"Kei, honey, let's go home," Ichigo said smiling at his daughter.
Kei smiled back, "Bye Miss Kuchiki!" she said happily.
Rukia smiled and waved at her.
They got to the car and Ichigo spoke, "Your teacher told me what happened…"
"I know, it's nothing, just meanies trying to get to me…"
"Kei, why don't you leave Kon at home tomorrow ok honey? He'll be waiting for you to tell him all about your day then and you'll get to play with him then."
She thought a moment, "Daddy, will you play with Kon with me when I get home?"
"Of course, honey."
Kei smiles, "I think he'll keep you from crying every night…. He always helps me when I'm sad and miss mommy."
"I hope he does honey," Ichigo drives them home.