*A/N* Yay for Bleach I'm so excited to do this. This is primarily about the Kurosaki siblings as a whole and therefore it follows all of their journeys together. I do not own bleach. Enjoy! –Chey

Zanpakuto of the Dead King

Prologue

The beeping that had once been so annoying and a constant reminder of the pain we were in was now just a diluted part of the background of our everyday life. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, forty-five year old, single man, not a virgin, and ex substitute-shinigami. Twenty three years ago I lost nearly all of my reiatsu and became a normal human. I have two younger sisters who are thirty-eight years old. Karin never married saying she would only love one man for the rest of her life and he was long part of her past. Yuzu dated a man named Kazehiro, he was in her class senior year, but last year he died in a car accident. They never had any children.

"Ichigo how is the old man?" Karin asks smoothly while she pushes open the door and settles back into her seat on the other side of the bed. I frown and shake my head.

"He's not going to make it Karin." I murmur and she nods before handing me a coffee and then taking a sip of her own. I can hear Yuzu coming up the hall talking to someone. She opens the door and sticks her head in slowly.

"Ichi-nii, there are some people here to see you." She murmurs softly before walking in and sitting down beside Karin. I look at her for a moment and stand slowly before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind me. Looking a bit down the hall I see Yoruichi and Kisuke standing side by side talking in hushed whispers. I walk toward them and raise a cocky eyebrow at the pair.

"Haven't seen you two in a while…" I say rubbing the back of my head. Yoruichi looks at me and sees the sleep deprived circles under my eyes and the rat's nest of hair on my head before wrapping her arms around me tightly in a mother-like hug.

"Ichigo I'm so sorry…if we would have known sooner then maybe we could have helped. Do you forgive us?" Yoruichi says into my ear while also having to stand on her tip-toes. When I was twenty one I hit my growth spurt and grew to be six foot five.

"Yoruichi I'm not angry. So, anything new in the soul society happening? How's Rukia?" Yoruichi smiles softly and pulls out a letter handing it to me.

"She's still madly in love with her strawberry. Also give this to Karin. Ichigo the Gotei 13 send their condolences as well. Sotaicho-Yamamoto says that your father will be remember as the strong Captain he once was." I nod and she places her hand on my shoulder a strong sadness deep in her eyes.

"Ichigo when you guys are ready to proceed we'd like you to stop by the old shop I have something from your father to give the three of you." I nod and finger the letter with my name scribbled across the front in her neat beautiful handwriting.

"Thank-you for being here…" I murmur and Yoruichi pulls me into another fierce hug before pulling away and dragging Kisuke away with her. I walk into the room and hand Karin her letter. Her deep brown eyes widen into saucers at the smooth hand writing.

"Tōshirō…" She murmurs the letter fluttering onto her lap slowly as tears spring up in her eyes. I place a hand on her shoulder and she smiles softly before opening it with quick hands and unfolding the perfect letter. I settle on the chair and open mine as well.

Strawberry,

I miss you. Things aren't the same without you in the Seireitei. Everyone has settled into normal routines lately and it seems like the calm before a raging storm to me. Did I mention I miss you? I never got to tell you, I was promoted last year to Fukutaicho of squad thirteen. Ukitake-taicho is doing well if you were wondering. Nii-sama has been friendlier now that he has a friend. He found a very close 'friend' in Matsumoto-Fukutaicho and they are engaged to be married in the spring. No one saw that coming.

Of all the things in the world I never thought that we'd be relying on letter to talk to each other. Did Yoruichi reassure you when she gave you this letter? I hope she did. I'm currently sitting in my room looking at the sketch from high school that you drew nearly twenty five years ago. It seems like so long ago right? It seems different to be writing without being formal now since I haven't spoken to you for quite some time. I apologize for not writing sooner but I thought that for once you would want to live a normal life and I guess that was a stupid thing to think because for you there will never be a normal life will there?

My last reason for writing is in the occurrence of recent events. The entire soul society sends their condolences and with that a few others send their wishes for your family to have the ability to get past losing another parent, namely Renji, Tōshirō, Nii-sama, Rangiku, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. I, myself, am deeply sorry for your loss and although I knew Isshin for less than an eighth of the time you did I still saw him as a father. I remember crying when I found out he was sick and I can only imagine how hard you all are taking it. Tell Karin to stay extra strong for Yuzu and I want you to know that even if we aren't together I'm still there for you in your heart. However I guess I could say that in person. Turn around you idiot.

~Midget

I spin around to see Rukia in a gigai that makes her look about the same age as me. I smile and shake my head.

"Ruki…" I murmur as she moves aside to reveal the white haired Taicho who is also in a gigai to make him look Karin's age. Rukia lunges at me and flings her arms around me before I lift her off the ground and spin her around. Yuzu stands and leaves the room to get something to drink giving the couples their privacy.

"Tosh…" Karin murmur tears welling up in her eyes before she falls into his arms the overwhelming pressure of losing dad crushing all of her will now that her safe harbor was here.

"Karin-hime…please, do not cry so much such pretty eyes should not shed tears." Tōshirō whispers barely audible. I almost smile at how gentle he is being with her as he rocks slightly to get her to stop crying.

"Rukia I can't believe you're here." I murmur turning my attention back to the black haired midget in front of me.

"I told you I'd always be here for you Ichigo in one way or another." She murmurs before hugging me tightly again and burying her nose in my chest. I tighten my arms around her feeling the once buff muscles ripple as much as they can now. I rest my chin on her head and she sighs and reaches up tracing my eyes. "You look like crap!"

I smile softly and pull her down onto the couch with me before she gets comfortable. I rest my head on her shoulder as she plays with my hair and I soon fall into a light sleep. Her finger continue to play with my hair and when I wake up Tōshirō is holding Karin tightly while she sleep peacefully for the first time in nearly three months.

"You guys haven't slept well in a while have you?" He asks motioning to the bustling little sister of mine who isn't sleeping again. Rukia stands and ushers her over to the couch with me where I curl and arm around her and guide her to lay down and fall asleep.

"Yu, will you please go to sleep?" I murmur and she nods before shutting her eyes and forcing herself into a light sleep. Rukia snuggles into my other side and listens as I talk about every that's been going on.

About an hour later as Yu and Rin start to wake up the beeping slows and we all turn startled as it steadily slows before going into a blank line. Tears leak from Yuzu's eyes as she curls up beside me and cries softly almost as if she was a young girl again. Karin sobs roughly into Tōshirō's chest quickly trying to cover her pain and I feel a few tears leak out of my shut eyelids. Rukia wipes them away with gentle hands and when I open my eyes I see tears streaming down her cheek. I pull her toward me and cuddle both the woman I love and the little sister I could never live without as I watch my other little sister with the man she loves.

How are we going to get through this?