AN: This chapter is really short, but the next chappie should be up shortly!

CHAPTER ONE:: SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS....

"Papa?" Minori Hirako asked quietly, tugging on the sleeve of her father's shirt.

"Yes, Miniori?" Shinji sighed, turning slightly to his left and lifting his four-year-old into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder, in the crook of his neck.

"Why is Momma leavin'?" Her voice was soft, but had an undercurrent of curiosity.

Shinji looked towards Minori's mother, Hiyori. "I don't know, sweetie." He said gently. Minori was startled. Her Daddy knew everything! Why couldn't he tell her why her Mommy was leaving them?

Wriggling out of her father's grip, Minori ran to her mother. The two actually looked very similar, with blonde hair, freckles, and the single fang tooth, but Minori had Shinji's eyes.

She grabbed her mother's leg and began to pull on it. "Momma, why are you leavin'?" She looked up into Hiyori's face, and Hiyori shook her off.

"Because, Minori." Hiyori snapped, picking up the bag she'd been packing all morning. "I'm sick of all this! I'm going to live my own life! I wasn't ready for a child, and your father knew that! He just didn't care." She spoke with an icy tone.

"Hiyori!" Shinji scolded as Minori's eyes began to tear up. "You wanted Minori as badly as I did! Don't you dare lie to our daughter!"

"I'll lie to anyone I want!" Hiyori retorted, and turned on her heel, only pausing in the doorway. "You have no rights or control over me anymore. I'm filing for divorce."

Hiyori sent Shinji the divorce papers the following week. She wanted the house, but not Minori. Shinji was torn. He was relieved that he would be keeping his daughter, he was upset to be losing the house he paid for, and he was depressed that Hiyori had left him out of the blue to 'live her life'. But whatever happened, he had to take care of Minori.

So Shinji made some calls; calls to old friends.

Over the next two days, Shinji spent his days packing his and Minori's things into boxes. On the third day, he woke Minori early, at six a.m. She complained for a short time, but fell asleep on the couch quickly after while the movers packed their boxes into a truck. Shinji lifted her off the couch when they were done, and loaded her into the car, taking one last look at the house he had bought for his family. Some family, he thought bitterly. Mother decides to up and leave Father and Daughter one day, and Father doesn't even fight her on it, or question it.

Shaking his head, Shinji got into his car and signaled to the movers to follow him.

As soon as they pulled into the driveway of the Kurosaki home, Minori woke up.

"Where are we, Daddy?"

"My friend Ichigo's house, honey." Shinji opened his door, then Minori's, and took her out of the car-seat, walking up to the front door with her, just as Orihime opened it.

So begins our new life, Shinji thought bitterly.

Xoxo

- SzayelAporroGirl