Listen to Your Heart, Let it Speak

Ichigo sat in front of his mother's grave, reading the inscription, "Kurosaki Masaki, Beloved wife and mother. May her soul rest in peace." It was June 17, that very day that Kurosaki Masaki died protecting Ichigo. He didn't only lose his mother that day; he lost a piece of himself, that mommy's boy/ sweet child he once was. It's been many years since that tragic lose, and Ichigo was now 16, and in love with a certain girl named Kuchiki Rukia. She had always managed to cheer him up no matter what, and if he didn't cheer up, she would kick him in the shin forcing him to get up and fight back (no matter how hard they hit each other, it never hurt any of them, it was just how they got along.) She, Kuchiki Rukia was the only one that can make Ichigo smile a REAL, GENUINE smile rather then those fake smiles, smirks or grins on his face.

"Ohayo! It's been a while since I visited you haven't it? I've come to seek advice…" Ichigo whispered

Afraid people may pass by, he thought to himself, picturing his mother in front of him listening. "How-how do I tell her? Tell her; tell her that I love her? And want her forever? That I can never let her leave me? That's she's the only in which I love, as much as you. Dad may seem mental, but told me to take this seriously and listen to my heart and do what my heart tells me to do. It's telling me to tell her, but telling me not to, incase our friendship is ruined and that she would reject me."

Ichigo whispered, "How do I tell Rukia that I—AAAAAAAAHHHHHH" when suddenly her heard

"KUROSAKI ICHIGO!!" Rukia shouted, jumping off of the tree branch in search for him. "I finally found you." She said smiling innocently.

"Ru-Rukia, what are you doing here? Where'd you, how'd you, and when'd you come…. Why are you following me?" he said nervously.

"I'm here because I woke up from my nap and no one was home so I came looking for you, I thought something may have happened, where'd I come from? I came from your house… I shunpo-ed (flash stepped) following your Reiatsu here. I got here right when I screamed your name. I didn't follow you, because I was still sleeping when you left, fool."

Ichigo grinned while turning red and asked, "Did you worry about me or miss me?"

Rukia's eyes widened and her cheeks grew crimson red, as she stumbled for a good excuse. "Well, Ichigo it was just that I'm umh, err…" Ichigo knew his answer as he watched Rukia try to answer him.

"See mom, this is that Kuchiki Rukia. She is short, with beautiful violet eyes and a small yet perfect figure…" he thought "not that I'm looking at her like that" he quickly added. Imagining his mother looking at Rukia with a sweet pleasant smile saying, "she was worried and she did miss you, but it's far beyond that Ichigo." He smiled in mere sight of Rukia.

"Well Ichigo, it's because I was worried that something just happened after that battle we had with that strange hollow and the event after." She said after gathering her thoughts together. "phew, that was a close call!" she thought.

He turned over to her with a blank expression, "but you got stabbed 8 millimeters from your heart and nearly died, not me." He started sounding upset and annoyed, yet hurt.

"Yea but the pain I saw in your eyes before I closed my eyes, it seemed like you got stabbed 8 millimeters in your heart, more than me." She replied sweetly with a smirk.

"Of course not, I felt that sword go through my heart!" he thought as he glared at her, of how she can be smiling or teasing him.

Suddenly they both looked up as rain drops fell on their faces. The rain quickly grew harder and harder. Ichigo suggested to flash-step back to his house, yet Rukia stood there enjoying the rain, so Ichigo decided it would be fine to be out there, but at least to be under a tree. They both sat under a rather large tree that was able to shelter them from most of the rain. Ichigo began to fidget with his pocket knife while Rukia leaned her head back and smells the rain cleaning the air. They both leaned back lost in their thoughts. Thoughts of that horrid battle with that unknown hollow with strange powers.

--FLASH BACK --

It was one of Aizen's crazy experiments, which was a combination of a Hollow and Espada, that manage to escape from Hueco Mundo. He was a very strange hollow that fed on the Reiatsu of very strong people, even other hollows. It came after Ichigo, because he has not learned how to keep his Reiatsu hidden from the enemy yet. And Ichigo's Reiatsu was the only one he could sense. This hollow had the power which could combine himself to any other power he could get his hands on. Thus, every time the hollow could touch or wound the opponent, the more power he gains. "Nameless," was what the hollow called himself.

"He's strong, almost hard to defeat, without bring the ho—"Ichigo was cut off, being thrown to a tree dropping his Zanpaktou.

"hmmmm, Zangetsu… let's see what you can do." The hollow screeched, dashing towards Ichigo, using the Zanpaktou.

"ICHIGO MOVE TO YOUR RIGHT!" Rukia shouted in fear. Ichigo quickly moved then fell towards the ground on his knees, while he was being thrown he felt his powers being drained. Again Nameless, got into his stance and dashed once more to Ichigo. Rukia shunpo-ed to Ichigo and with her Zanpaktou in Shikai form (Sode no Shikirayuki) she used Hakuren sending ice towards Nameless to freeze him, then suddenly used Some no Mai to freeze his whole body, and any extra space near him. Quickly she used her Zanpaktou to cut through the hollow.

She dropped to the ground panting; using the attacks one after another caused her to be temporary weak. When the hollow was cut in half, Ichigo and Rukia sighed with relief.

"You think you; a mere woman can get rid of me like that, so recklessly? That is only my disguise." Said a low voice coming from where the hollow was attacked.

It turned out that the hollow used an oversized disguise to hide his true form. He also used a force field that way no one could even attack the real him. He was rather small, the size of Rukia, yet rather powerful.

"That's why he was never affected by any of our attacks, it didn't even touch him." Ichigo whispered.

Suddenly the hollow grabbed the blade of Rukia's Zanpaktou and threw Rukia to the nearest wall. Rukia gets up panting, looking for Ichigo. Ichigo flash stepped to the other side of the field. The hollow summoned some kind of power which combined Zangetsu with Sode no Shikirayuki. The two powerful Zanpaktous combining threw back Ichigo and Rukia to the ground, as they stared at the beautiful new Zanpaktou. Rukia stood up, and notice the hollow going towards Ichigo, while Ichigo was lying on the ground, the hollow held their Zanpaktou ready to kill and she quickly flash stepped in front of Ichigo.

"I have to pay back; I have to save him as he did for me. I must, I must, ahhhh" she whispered as she fell to the ground. She was stabbed 8 millimeters from her heart. Ichigo was shocked once he saw the Zanpaktou pierce through Rukia as she fell in his arms with blood dripping from her chest and back from the wound. But to Ichigo it happened in slow motion as Ichigo screamed and tears fell from his eyes, he flash stepped backwards, prying her from the Zanpaktou.

Ichigo shouted in raged and screamed out "Zangetsu-Sode-No-Shikirayuki!"

Surprisingly the Zanpaktous forced its way away from the hollows grip into Ichigo's hand. He used shunpo and ran in circles of nameless to confuse him then with every bit of energy, he broke through nameless's force field, and stabled him in the stomach. His Reiatsu spiked up as he watched Rukia's body bleed, he killed the hollow, for letting both Zangetsu and Sode no Shikirayuki be held by evil, for anger, for hate, for sorrow, for love, FOR RUKIA. He forced the Zanpaktou up, causing the hollow to be cut vertically.

He picked up Rukia, one arm around her back and the other under her knees (bridal style.) He appeared at Urahara's shop with many wounds on himself and a nearly dying Rukia in his arms. Orihime began healing Rukia as Ichigo told Urahara, Yoruichi, Orihime, Chad, and Uryuu about that strange hollow and about what had happen. Urahara used kidou and was able to separate the combined Zanpaktou, although he didn't want too because it was so beautiful together.

Suddenly everyone turned looking at Rukia as they noticed that her Reiatsu was dropping DRAMATICALLY. She was on the verge of dying. Ichigo jumped up and demanded Urahara to open a gate to Soul Society so he could speak with Byakuya.

"BYAKUYA!! Ruk--"

"I will not speak to you, Ryoka. If you can not address me properly" he said with a calm expression not bothering to look at Ichigo.

"HEY! YOU! Just listen to m--"

"I am not you, hey, ay. I am Kuchiki Byakuya, Ryoka (human/un-noble.) I will never address you by Ichigo until you can address me properly Ryoka. Kuchiki Taichou (captain), or Byakuya Taichou, or Kuch--"

"RUKIA is DYING!!"

Byakuya quickly stood up, Renji followed, as they flash stepped through that gate to the living world to Urahara's shop.

Byakuya was surprised to see Rukia fading away, literally. Everyone stopped to look at Rukia when suddenly Urahara says "there's a way to stop her from fading, that way it buys us time to heal her" he paused. "URAHARA!" both Ichigo and Byakuya shouted awaiting him to finish what he is saying. Urahara paused only to see that Byakuya, for once, unlike a Kuchiki, show emotions of fear, love, hate, anger, anxiety, hurt, sorrow…

"Oh yes, Byakuya, Ichigo, Yoruichi, and Renji and I shall hold hands focusing our Reiatsu to Rukia to hold her from fading, while Orihime heals her. Of course with help from Chad and Uryuu, you two will keep your hand or Orihime's shoulders to guide your Reiatsu to Orihime's healing ability to heal Rukia faster, to save her from dying, a second time. Remember guys, she is in critical condition and it's possible that we can't stabilize her condition and she maybe gone..."

Byakuya, Ichigo, Yoruichi, Urahara, and Renji sat hand in hand following those instructions. Byakuya, who was the strongest there (since Ichigo couldn't even defeat him without using his inner hollow,) was able to stabilize her, and then suddenly this Reiatsu was rejected from her soul. Rukia was a lot stronger than shown in battle and in person, yet she managed to break through Byakuya's Reiatsu. 

Everyone realized that she was very strong and determined and that maintaining her Reiatsu and her soul would be a struggle.

--RUKIA'S SIDE--

"I have to pay back; I have to save him as he did for me. I must, I must, ahhhh" As she fell into Ichigo's arms, but with in seconds was in a completely different world and surrounding. She begins walking around. Maybe she was dreaming, maybe the hollow had her under a spell… she continued to wander around. Suddenly dropped to the cold ground, by many strong Reiatsu, but she had no idea what was going on. She looked around to see that everything was white, everything was blank, was cold, was, was, was nothing.

"Did I save Ichigo? Where is he? Where am I? Why is it cold? What is going on? Why is it so blank? Why do I feel restrained?" she wondered.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo shouted and Byakuya whispered.

Rukia heard their voices, and forced herself up wanting to find her brother, to find Ichigo. Those Reiatsu brought her to the ground once more. She saw light, dark light coming from above her, when suddenly, it couldn't be, could it be? It was Kaien.

Kaien guided her away from the dark light and looked down at her and said, "Do what your heart tells you to do. Let your heart speak before you let your heart lay with your nakama (comrade/friends/close friends)." Rukia was looking down, eyes filled with guilt, Kaien suddenly disappeared.

"It seems that your not trying, not trying to live. How can you let your heart lie with your nakama if you do this? How can you call yourself a shinigami if you're not trying?" Kaien's chants stopped.

"It's true I don't want to live no more! I don't want to be a burden any more, a burden to The Kuchiki family, especially to Ichigo or anybody else! I don't want to live I can't live I won't live, not if I am in love with Ichigo and he doesn't know." She shouted. Then whispered "Ichigo, nii-sama, Ukitake taichou, Kaien-dono…"

Unexpectedly she was retrained once again, but not to the ground but rather in her standing position. She then forced herself running after Kaien, wanting to know where she was and why he was there and what was going on.

--NORMAL SIDE--

Forcing herself to run caused Byakuya, Ichigo, Yoruichi, Urahara, and Renji to be thrown against the walls of the room. Orihime, Uryuu and Chad was not thrown against the wall because they were only trying to heal her not restrain her.

Yoruichi quickly created a force field which lied gracefully along Rukia's small frame to hold her from throwing anyone to the walls again. And it was now left to Byakuya, Ichigo, Urahara and Renji to retrain her.

"She's, she's, she's not healing! She's refusing me to heal her. She's refusing help! Rukia-chan we know you're independent but right now you need us more than ever!" Orihime cried.

"It is true; she's refusing all of this. We can't restrain her because she refuses to be held down, we can't heal her because--" Urahara was interrupted.

"She created a force field with kidou to stop the healing, but with all of us trying to help her, her force field is not acting as a shield but rather slowing down the time we have to save her as restraining her from fading to slow down time from taking her." Yoruichi said with much sorrow in her eyes.

--BACK TO RUKIA'S SIDE--

She was able to hear part of what both Orihime and Yoruichi said, it was true she didn't want to be helped, she wanted to find Kaien, and she wanted to know where she was.

"Kaien-dono! Wha-what are you doing here? What is this! Why are you leaving me behind!"

With anger, he shouted, "Is that how you talk to your vice captain? Your commanding officer? Your lieutenant? Your mentor? The one that taught you everything? I am not leaving you behind! I am protecting you from a mistake, a mistake that shouldn't be made! I already told you I would die for my comrades! Why do you not believe me! " Then calmly laughing and patting her on the head he said, "I would die for you Rukia."

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she innocently asked, "bu-but where are we then?"

"What was the last thing you heard me say to you, and I said if you ever forgot it, I would never be able to forgive you and it was the last thing I mention to you before I died?"

"Kaien-dono, umh" she paused, "you said, 'you would die protecting your comrades, you would die for honor, pride' and 'that your heart lies with your nakama.' And you said, 'because of you I can now leave my heart here…' before you died in my arms." She began crying thinking of the past memories.

"And where did I go after I said those last few words?"

"My heart?" she said utterly confused.

"That's right Kuchiki! That's where we are! When I died, I left my heart with you, that is… is why I am here with you, but it seems that there is more than just me here, I'm not alone at all. Now Rukia I command you to never forget that your heart lies with your nakama and I command you never forget any advice I ever told you! And most of all to listen to your heart." Then he walked away calmly knowing that she would think about what he said.

She laid down on the cold ground taking in everything Kaien told her. She thought to herself. "What is wrong, what is right? Listen to my heart…" she continued to chant and suddenly felt people standing around her. She sat up and saw Kaien, Ichigo, Byakuya, Hisana, Renji, Urahara, Yoruichi, Ukitake, Orihime, Chad, Uryuu, even Kon and Chappy! They all stared at her smiling, and one by one disappeared except of Kaien.

"Kuchiki! Good job, you really did listen to me! You listened to your heart; now all you have to do is listen to them, the people in your heart."

She closed her eyes.

Hisana: "Rukia, please do leave the people who love you, who are trying to help you."

Byakuya: "Rukia, live, stop refusing our help. You can only die long after me, after you are head of our clan and married with a happy life."

Chad and Uryuu: "hold on stay strong."

Orihime: "Rukia-chan, please don't die. Please don't! We need you!"

Urahara: "such a tense moment Rukia. Be a true Kuchiki and don't let us down. Matter of fact GET UP!"

Yoruichi: "Kuchiki-san, you're a fighter, just like your brother, just like a Kuchiki, refuse help when you need help."

Renji: "RUKIAAAAA! Stop this nonsense, your being stubborn! Get up!!"

Rukia was surprised she could hear them. "Keep listening…" Kaien chanted.

Ichigo: "Rukia, Rukia, Rukia!" more quietly he said "I love you!"

--NORMAL SIDE--

Suddenly Rukia took a deep breath as she let down her force field; the force field by Yoruichi was broken. Yoruichi jumped as she was the first to notice Rukia took a deep breath, yet was not fully awake.

Orihime, Chad and Uryuu's powers gave out on healing Rukia. Rukia was just too strong that they used all their energy on trying to break through Rukia's force field, rather than healing her. Byakuya quickly looked at Urahara, and then Ichigo, Renji and Yoruichi glanced at the captain and former captain. Urahara, Renji and Yoruichi knew exactly what Byakuya's plan was. Ichigo sat, utterly confused by their glances at each other.

Byakuya leaded the other 3 to follow; they were using kidou to heal Rukia. Byakuya's kidou was quite powerful. Yet a quarter of the wound did not heal properly and still bleeding.

"Byakuya! You're the strongest here! Why is she not healing already!" Ichigo scowled.

Byakuya, very irritated, replied with, "Ryoka, listen and look. You are NOT the one healing her with kidou, you don't EVEN KNOW kidou, and patient is the key."

"You want to help us instead carrot top? Oh wait you can't, you don't know any…what a shame. You talk more than what you're capable of." Renji added.

Everyone turned to a very angry Byakuya, who everyone even Yoruichi and Urahara was afraid would kill them if Ichigo angered him any more. Then unexpectedly he calmly stated, "She's refusing to let us heal her matter of fact, she created a force field on her wound, rather than herself"

--RUKIA'S SIDE--

"I'm trying to block you guys because I need time to think. Only, only too..."

"ONLY TOO what?" Kaien reappeared with an angered look as it was wiped away by a huge grin.

"Kaien dono, I, its that, Ichigo is, it's more that, I" she stuttered.

"Stop stuttering Kuchiki! Why did you and do you always stutter when I ask you what is wrong! You're a Kuchiki your apart of one of the 4 noble families you should learn to hold your tongue before you ruin your family's reputation with your stuttering."

"To tell Ichigo I love him!" she shouted "I love Ichigo. I am in love with Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"Good, you've grown" he placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Goodbye Kuchiki Rukia, I will always be with you to help you through the roughest." He gently kissed her on the lips as he slowly vanished.

"Goodbye Kaien-dono, sou-taichou, fuku-taichou (sou/fuku-vice, taichou- captain)…" she whispered.

--NORMAL SIDE--

As everyone stopped to stare at a rather fearful Byakuya, Rukia whispered, "I'm in love with Kurosaki Ichigo" (not knowing that what she just shouted to Kaien was whispered for everyone in the room to hear.) Byakuya's eyes grew with more hatred and anger as Ichigo's cheeks turned crimson red. Ichigo wanted so badly to say 'I love you too Rukia' or at least say 'I am in love with Kuchiki Rukia,' but noticing Byakuya's death glare, he decided to save it for another day.

Suddenly Rukia shot up from her unconsciousness, and in pain put her hand over her wound, then healed herself with her own kidou. Everyone jumped back as if they saw a ghost (yet half of them technically are spirits) and Rukia gave an innocent cheerful smile.

After Rukia was settled and feeling fine, Byakuya and Renji returned to Seireitei, back to the 6th division headquarters. And everything was now normal, except for Ichigo knowing she loves him.

Ichgio figured that she was now feeling ok and that everyone has already left, that it would be ok to bring her home. She was so exhausted that Ichigo ended up carrying her home, bridal style. Most of the time he stared at her peaceful sleeping face repeating in his mind, "I'm in love with Kurosaki Ichigo." They soon reached the Kurosaki residents and Rukia was awake. Still being tired, Rukia takes a nap and suddenly woke up when Yuzu, Kirin, and Isshin left, accidently slamming the door shut. She jumps up rubbing her eyes walking toward Ichigo's room, only to find him gone.

--FLASH BACK ENDS--

The rain had stopped, and Ichigo decided to himself, today, was the day, the day he would confess to her.

"Oi, Rukia?"

"hmmmm?"

"My father was a former shinigami, and a captain at that. Yet he quit only because he fell in love with a human, my mom."

"Yes and what exactly are you getting at?"

"Is that bad?"

"It could be depending on who that human was… It did cause a lot of commotion when he left but everything seems fine." She knew exactly where he was getting at. She knew that he wanted to know if she could ever do such a thing.

"Ok then, let's say that a shinigami fell in love with me?"

"A Shinigami, fall for you? Hah!"

"I'm just asking! Any girl whether Shinigami or human would be treated with love with me." she said sounding very conceded and cocky.

"Yes, ummmhummm, I totally believe that. Isn't that why your always hitting me and shouting as me?"

"Rukia, we're getting off topic. If you want to bicker with me, we will tonight, I just want to know. What would happen if a Shinigami fell for me?"

"Fine, there could be exceptions because you are a substitute shinigami and that you did save soul society." She was angry he couldn't confess already.

"What if we fell in love what would happen then?"

"Let's see, you would have to be approve by my brother, who doesn't like you because your that Ryoka that is rude and doesn't know how to address him properly and then we would have to tell the head master of the Kuchiki Clan and get approved by your family, not to mention soul society, I bet even the Gotei 13 would have to approve… why does it matter?" she said acting very innocent and clueless about what he was trying to hint. Secretly she was repeating his every word as if to memorize them. "What if a shinigami fell in love with me. You want to bicker we can tonight. What if we fell in love?"

He pulled her close him, and kissed her on the lips. Rukia was shock and for a moment was struggling. Ichigo wander if he should continue, that maybe it was bad that she was strggling, until she realized that she embraced him. The kiss was rather rough, but took a few seconds right before it softened up, then Rukia placed her right arm along his neck, and her left arm along his back, as Ichigo placed his right hand on the ground behind her to lean in and his left hand holding her head close to his. The kiss grew passionately and took a few good minutes before they broke apart with their forehead still touching, as they looked down.

Ichigo looked into Rukia's eyes and whispered, "Would you be willing to fight, to make this work? To make people approve?"

Rukia took a deep breath as he spoke ever so softly to her and she replied, "I would fight the world."

Ichigo then parted from Rukia, took out his pocket knife again and carved in the tree, "Kurosaki Ichigo + Kuchiki Rukia Forever" in a large heart.

"Let the battle for love begin." Ichigo said while staring into Rukia's eyes.

--A YEAR LATER--

Ichigo had a conversation wit Byakuya and the leader if the Kuchiki Clan to have Rukia's hand in marriage. The Head of the Kuchiki Clan was not willing to give in, but Insisted by Byakuya that Ichigo had saved Rukia and Soul Society and once died would be a Captain and can be accepted in a Noble family. Ichigo wanted to make sure they were ok with it, and he wanted them as for his family as well to witness his proposal. The proposal would occur during mid Spring and the wedding would be towards summer, they all agreed.

Suddenly before dinner, the gates of the Soul Society opened for Byakuya, and the head master of the Kuchiki Clan. Rukia knew there was something fishy, especially when the head of the Clan came, but yet she was rather clueless too.

Byakuya calmly stated, "It's been a week since we last spoke, Ichigo. And it's been a few weeks into spring." Ichigo knew exactly what he was hinting. As Rukia sat in her seat staring from Ichigo to Byakuya.

Ichigo proposes to Rukia during a family dinner with their families. Rukia accepted the proposal and continued eating and chatting with the families. Ichigo, Yuzu, Kirin and Isshin were rather disappointed to Rukia's reaction. But once the Kuchikis left, leaving Rukia with the Kurosakis, she sighed and jumped up and screamed as she jumped into Ichigo's arms kissing him. The Kurosakis realized that she was only being modest and polite in the presence of her elder and the Kuchikis.

June 17, "Ohayo, mom I am going to marry Kuchiki Rukia today. It's been a year since I asked for advise of telling her I love her. It's also been a bit that I asked for her hand I marriage during dinner, surprisingly the Kuchiki family approved." Ichigo thought to himself with Rukia in his arms while staring at the grave site.

The wedding was planned. There would be two weddings. One for the living in the living world and one for the shinigamis and all others in soul society to see (noble style.) For some people they went to both, for instance (Isshin (not including the sisters,) Byakuya, Renji cause he free loads, jk, Urahara, Yoruichi, Orihime, Uryuu, Chad, and of course Kaien he was in the heart of the wedding, because of him, she was now marrying Ichigo.(heck you even say he was apart of the wedding!)) But before the wedding Rukia told Ichigo she wanted to keep her family name, she wanted to up hold the Kuchiki name and household long after Byakuya grow old and ill. But Ichigo didn't want to change his name either so they decided to combine the names. Kuchikikurosaki, which quite frankly has a nice ring to it.

The wedding in the living world was moderate, friends, families and the ones listed that would be going to both wedding. It was located in a park, a park full with flowers which happened to be Masaki's favorite place to be. Rukia wore a beautiful white gown with a pearl color lacing that fit her perfectly bringing out her figure, as Ichigo wore a white tux. While the bride's maid wore a dim yellow dress, and the grooms men would be wearing black tux.

The wedding in the Soul society was SUPER big! It was the first time that outsiders were allowed to step on noble land with out being charged. Everyone was in astonishment of how Rukia's kimono was, it was a light violet that brought out the color of her eyes and with exquisite designs all around, while Ichigo wore light brown (to capture his eyes) with a white over lap on top. They were finally married in both worlds.

--ONE YEAR LATER--

Rukia gave birth to twins, a little girl with light orange hair, and violet eyes and a little boy with black hair, and amber eyes. Their children were Kuchikikurosaki Masaki, and Kuchikikurosaki Kaien. They both had their reasons for their names and both understood each other about it as well. Byakuya was a proud uncle, everyone in the Kuchiki clan was surprise that Ichigo was able to get Rukia pregnant because the only men that could get women pregnant was one of high nobility and spiritual power, and with open arms, they now accepted Ichigo into the Kuchiki clan. Isshin became over excited and fainted. Every year they would visit the sites of Hisana and Masaki, also to the forest where Kaien died, more than once, on the day they lost them, on their children's birthday, the day they wedded, and on each other's birthday…

Months after, Ukitake Taichou, began to fall ill, and appointed Rukia as the new Vice Captain. He knew she would be the perfect person, the only person Kaien would agree to, without feeling betrayed. As Ukitake grew more ill, Rukia was placed with to much to handle, that even though it was against the rules, he appointed another person to be Vice Captain to help maintain every thing. The second Vice Captain happened to be Ichigo. It was said, once Ukitake grew too ill, Ichigo would be the new captain, with Rukia as his vice captain, or even that Rukia would be captain and Ichigo be vice captain; that would be from years on out, because Ukitake was a very strong person and held on for many many years. Rukia was called Fuku-Taichou and Ichigo was called Sou-Taichou, they both meant Vice Captain or Lieutenant, but made it easier to remember who the squads were calling for.

…THE END…