The girls have gone to bed – Karin, Yuzu and Orihime. Ichigo has yet to wake up since defeating Aizen. It's only been five days, but still, the girls are worried. Isshin knows it will probably be many more days before he awakens, but even he is rattled by it, slightly.

He is about to go to bed when there is a knock on the door.

"Now who could that be?" he grumbles to no one (to Masaki), "really, at this hour."

At the door is a pleasant surprise.

"It's been a while, Captain Shiba," says Rangiku Mastumoto, holding up a six-pack of cheap beer.

Isshin laughs, "no one calls me that anymore," he says, "come on in."

It only takes a few sips of beer for their old camaraderie to edge back to the surface, and soon they're laughing like it's only been a few days and not 20 years since they've done this. Rangiku fills Isshin in on the most pressing Soul Society gossip –who's dating who, who's angling for a promotion, who put the pieces together about Ichigo being his son the fastest.

"See, Captain Hitsugaya, I think he only really figured it out when he saw you fighting Aizen and announcing it to the world," she prattles, "but I think some of the older captains – Ukitake, Kyoraku, Unohana, they started having their doubts after he left Soul Society for the first time. Byakuya was clueless until the very last minute – despite the fact that his sister lived here for months. Zaraki and Mayuri, they don't care…"

Isshin takes another sip of his beer.

"And what about you?" he asks, "when did you figure it out?"

Rangiku snorts, "the minute I saw Ichigo," she tells him proudly. "But then again," she adds, "I had insider knowledge." She winks, flipping her long blond hair for effect.

Isshin remembers the surprising day when his ex-lieutenant had tracked him down in his powerless gigai after all of Soul Society's best efforts had failed to find him in the world of the living. She'd nearly knocked down the door of the then newly-established Kurosaki clinic, demanding to see him. (Masaki had been so jealous that day –it still pleases immensely him to remember that). After the initial shock, they'd opened up a bottle of sake and he'd explained the situation to her, Masaki at his side, watching the whole thing suspiciously.

"Are you really going to give everything up for this?" she'd asked, "I mean, not that this isn't nice," she'd added, with a furtive look at Masaki, "but you had a good life in the Soul Society."

"This is better," he'd declared, earning a skeptical look from Rangiku, but a touched one from Masaki, "a good life without love is false publicity."

Rangiku had softened then, "Well, if you're sure," she'd said, with a shrug that was both familiar and not quite hers, "I won't tell anybody."

And she hadn't, thinks Isshin in the present. Hers had been the last visit from Soul Society to his home until Rukia Kuchiki had unknowingly pursued a hollow to his son's bedroom.

"I've been meaning to thank you," he says, "for not telling anyone."

Rangiku shrugs, "eh, no one would have believed me anyways," she says, "Captain Shiba gave up everything for his quincy girlfriend – even now, it sounds sort of silly."

They laugh at this and fall into a comfortable silence. Their quiet is disturbed by the sudden pattering of nervous footsteps on the second floor.

"What was that?" asks Rangiku, "it's too loud to be a mouse."

"It's Orihime," says Isshin, "she gets up at least once a night to check on Ichigo. I think she has nightmares."

His companion frowns, "it isn't good of you to coddle her like this, you know," she says, "she's going to have to go home eventually."

Isshin sighs, "I know," he says, "but not right now."

As the night wears on, Isshin and Rangiku's quiet drink turns into a slightly rowdier a get-together as old friends arrive, carrying with them enough sake and beer to keep them going until the sunrise.

First come Ukitake and Kyoraku, jovial and laid back.

"Oh, we knew Ichigo was yours from the start," jokes Kyoraku, "before we even saw him. Rumours of his stubbornness were very telling."

Ukitake is more forgiving, "he has many of your qualities," he says, "including the stubbornness."

Isshin is beginning to think that he's going to have to put up with a lot of this tonight, when Urahara shows up, with Yourouichi and Tessai in tow.

"We heard you were having a party," he says, "mind if we join?"

"Of course," says Isshin shaking his head. He's been away from Soul Society so long that he'd forgotten certain traditions. Mainly, that after a long battle, the participants gather in one place, uninvited, and throw a party. It's a cathartic thing – a way to let loose once the dust has settled. It would seem that he's been chosen to host this time around. No doubt everyone is curious to catch a glimpse of the mysterious Isshin Shiba – deserter of the Soul Society and father to the boy who just saved the world.

Still, for a while there it's just the seven of them, bantering across his kitchen table, enjoying the company of old friends. They grow so comfortable with each other that they forget to keep their voices down. It wouldn't matter so much if it was just Ichigo and his sisters – Karin and Yuzu have slept through worse –but Isshin knows his other guest hasn't been sleeping soundly.

Sure enough, Orihime descends from the second floor to see what all the commotion is about. Wearing a pair of Ichigo's pyjamas, she has the air of a naughty girlfriend, sneaking around her boyfriend's house for a glass of water in the middle of the night. Isshin wishes his friends could look at her like this, like they've caught her red-handed having a bit of fun, instead of the way they're looking at her now; like she's to be pitied and feared at the same time.

"Ehh," she says, seeing them there, bristling under their guilty gazes, "what's everyone doing here?"

They stare back at her in an increasingly awkward silence. Isshin's never seen his friends so uncomfortable – Urahara especially. It's one thing to leave the rescue of one human girl to three teenage boys when she's out of sight, it's another to own up to it when she stands in front of them, dark circles under her eyes.

Finally, Isshin breaks the silence, "why don't you join us for a drink, Orihime?"

Orihime drinks her beer diligently. Isshin can tell that she doesn't quite like it, but it gives her something to do in this circle of tipsy adults. They are curious to see her, though they try to look disinterested. After a few attempts to get the conversation going on various topics, someone finally asks, "so, how are you holding up these days, Orihime?"

Orihime looks uncomfortable for a second, but then covers up with a smile. "Oh, I'm fine," she says breezily, "I'm just worried about Ichigo, I know I shouldn't be..."

"My idiot son will be fine," interjects Isshin, He says this every time she voices a concern, but he's beginning to see that she will only believe him once Ichigo is awake and functioning again.

"You're staying here for the time being, is that right?" asks Rangiku pointedly. Isshin wants to kick his ex-lieutenant.

Orihime nods, "Mr. Kurosaki said I could," she says, trailing off.

Rangiku's question seems to have set something off. Next, Shunsui asks, "so, how was Hueco Mundo? I've always wanted to go myself..."

Suddenly, Orihime looks very small and very young. Isshin is reminded that, like his son, she is only fifteen. "It was very...white," she says, "well, parts of it." She's answering out of politeness, but Isshin can tell she would rather not talk about it - especially not here. He decides to intervene before someone decides to follow up.

"Not to change the subject," he says, "but now that you're here around my table, perhaps I should ask for news of my Shiba relatives in Soul Society".

Gossip was always a good distraction. As Isshin learns of Kukaku's antics and Ganju's adventures, his guests get lost in these stories, taking their focus away from Orihime, who visibly relaxes and even intervenes once or twice.

She smiles, weakly. To Isshin, this is progress.

The doorbell rings and more people pour in - this time, faces Isshin doesn't quite recognize. Hisagi was a lieutenant by the time he'd left, but the fellow with him, a blond guy called Kira must have still been at the academy. A couple of characters from squad 11 burst in, claiming to have fought his son at some point (which doesn't surprise him). No doubt Zaraki isn't far off.

Before the Kenpachi arrives, his old third seat knocks at his door.

"It's really you," says Toshiro Hitsugaya, "captain Shiba"

"If it isn't my successor," he exclaims, "didn't I always say you would be the one to take over!" He laughs, looking over at Rangiku who is pretending, badly, not to care. "You've barely grown!"

Hitsugaya gets flustered. "Yes, well, are you going to invite us in?" Isshin relents, opening his door. The new captain of squad 10 walks in accompanied by a girl wearing a lieutenant's badge. An odd hush descends over the room that Isshin doesn't quite understand.

From the back of the room, Orihime watches the scene unfolds and breaks the silence. "Momo," she calls out, "it's so nice to see you, let's go talk somewhere privately and catch up."

Stunned, Momo joins her at the back of the room, where Orihime is smiling and chatting as if they were old friends. The party seems to lose interest after this, as guests resume their chatter.

Only Histugaya remains perplexed. "I could be wrong," he says, "but I don't think they've ever been introduced."

More guests have poured in. Zaraki arrives with Yachiru in tow. Unohana brings with her a gaggle of officiers from squad four. There are more faces Isshin doesn't recognize. His house is getting crowded. More to the point, it is getting noisy.

The girls have woken up. They stare at scene around them with confused eyes, seeing different things. Karin can see everyone: Yuzu can only see those who are in gigais and Urahara's crew. Isshin couldn't guess which of his daughters is more confused.

"What's going on?" asks Karin suspiciously.

"Why your old man's having a party! See, I always told you I was cool." Both girls eye him warily. They know enough to know the world was in terrible peril five days ago and now their buffoonish dad is throwing a party?

"Your friends are weird," says Karin flatly.

"One of them offered me beer," adds Yuzu.

Isshin's eyes narrow at this. His girls are eleven.

"How about I make you some hot chocolate," he says.

"I'll come with you!" offers Orihime, before the girls even have a chance to reply.

In the kitchen, Orihime visibly relaxes. She happily sets about the task of getting the hot chocolate together, following package instructions. She considers adding chili peppers as a garnish. Isshin steps in before she can do any harm.

"Do you think its ok if I stay here for a while?" she asks. "It's just, I don't really want to drink any more beer and I…I'm happy to see everyone…but," she pauses, biting her lip, "It's just that I can't stand everyone looking at me."

Isshin nods, understanding. He too has been an object of curiosity this night and he has felt the eyes of his guest following him intently. He doesn't like it. Orihime must hate it. People just want to know what he's been up to for the past 20 years. But with Orihime, there's a morbid curiosity. More than once, he's overheard people asking her what happened in Hueco Munco? and was it terrible? and what did Aizen do to you?

"I've got a better idea," he says, "I think I just heard Chad come in downstairs, why don't the two of you go keep Ichigo company? I wouldn't want him to think he's missing out on the first party his old man has ever thrown at this place."

Orihime looks as if she could hug him. "OK," she says, "Ok, yes. I'll do that." She runs off in the direction Ichigo's room.

"Orihime," Isshin calls as she goes, "next time, you really don't need to ask my permission for this sort of thing."

She nods, smiling, grateful.

Watching her go, Isshin decides that he'll put up with all the stares if he has too – just as long as he can keep Orihime away from prying eyes.

Chad is chatting with a few of the lieutenants when Isshin rejoins the party. Well, chatting isn't quite the word for it –he's listening, letting them do most of the talking.

Asides from Tatsuki, Chad is Ichigo's oldest friend and the one Isshin knows best. He's always been quiet, and over the years Isshin has come to recognize his non-verbal cues. Generally, when he's invested in a conversation, he grunts along or nods and adds in a few (curt) ideas of his own. He keeps his focus on the person he's talking to, rarely straying.

Tonight though, he's silent and his eyes dart around the room, looking for someone. Isshin can guess who.

Taking a gulp of his beer, Isshin throws his arm around Chad with a laugh.

"Chad, I haven't seen you in ages," he says, loudly and merrily, "you've gotten so big – though you were always big, now that I think about it," he continues, guiding the young man away from the chatty lieutenants. Once he's certain they're out of earshot, he lowers his voice and adds, "Orihime's in Ichigo's room."

Chad is a man who needs few words in life, be it to communicate or to understand. He nods, mutters thanks, and quietly heads upstairs.

Isshin's next guest is a quincy. He recognises the type of spiritual pressure before he recognises the person it belongs to. For a moment, even now, seven years later, his heart quickens and he thinks Masaki before remembering that his wife will never walk through his front door again. Instead, it's Uryuu Ishida, dressed in his best suit.

"Mr. Kurosaki," he says formally as Isshin opens the door, "how is Ichigo?"

"My idiot son is fine," he replies, with a dramatic sigh. Uryuu is as persistent as Orihime on this front and, just like her, he refuses to believe Isshin no matter how many times he insists that Ichigo is going to be just fine once he's slept this off.

He wonders what he's done to make these kids distrust him so much.

Uryuu nods, "and Orihime?" he asks.

That's a harder one to answer. Isshin takes the easy way out.

"She's upstairs, Ichigo's room," he says, casually pointing a thumb in the right direction. "Why don't you come on in," he adds, realising that Uryuu has been waiting to be invited in.

The Kuchikis arrive soon after, Renji in tow.

Isshin plays the fool. There are some opportunities that he cannot pass up.

"Coming in through the front door, are we Rukia?" he asks, with a malicious grin, "how very novel for you!" He laughs heartily, as she blushes furiously, adorably flustered.

"H-how long have you known?" she stutters, both embarrassed and a little bit amazed. Isshin savors the moment. He's been waiting to tease her about this for eons.

"Since the very first night," he says, and laughs again, watching her befuddled expression. "But I never minded," he adds, a hand on her shoulder, his face close to hers, "Orihime's in Ichigo's room," he says.

Rukia nods, smiling slightly, and darts off quickly, dragging Renji with her. He struggles to keep up with her pace and if Isshin knew him better, he would guess the sixth squad lieutenant looks a bit surprised by just how well Rukia seems to know the way to his son's bedroom.

"Captain Shiba," says Byakuya once they're out of earshot.

"Ah, it's just Isshin now," he replies, waving dismissively, "Kurosaki, if you're being formal."

Byakuya ignores this, "I understand that this is where Rukia stayed, when she was in your world," he says, scanning the surroundings with a distant, disdainful glance.

Isshin nods, "it's not quite a Kuchiki estate," he says (nor a Shiba one, he thinks, a flash of his old family's estate crossing through his mind).

Byakuya ignores this too. "You looked after Rukia while she stayed here," he says. It's a statement, not question. And then, to Isshin's everlasting shock, he adds, "thank you."

With that, he gracefully passes through the threshold of the Kurosaki home and joins his festive comrades in Isshin's living room.

For a while, the guests stop pouring in, though Isshin guesses that this is a respite and not the end – not that he minds exactly. He's having quite a good time, catching up with friends and comrades he hasn't seen in years –people he thought he'd never see again. He's fully embraced the role of Isshin Shiba and he finds he'd forgotten how much he'd enjoyed his old life.

Later, there's another knock on the door. This time, Isshin knows exactly who it is. After all, the only other quincy expected to show up is already here.

(He still feels the tug that makes him think Masaki's home for a fraction of a second. It's less pronounced this time, but it's still there. It's always there).

"Come to join us, Ryuken?" he asks, at the door. The older quincy looks back at Isshin disdainfully, before pushing past him and walking in uninvited.

"I thought I'd see what the fuss was all about," he says, dryly.

This is what Uryuu must be like around Ichigo, thinks Isshin. "Well then, have a drink," he says, thrusting a stray beer into his hands, "you look far too sober for this party," he exclaims, "besides, you know you're always welcome here!"

Ryuken looks a bit taken aback at this last statement, though it isn't false. Masaki always insisted that her cousin should always be welcomed in her home. Isshin used to grumble about this when she was alive, but he adopted the policy whole-heartedly after her death. There didn't seem a point to fighting it then.

Tonight is the first time he puts it into practice.

"If you say so, Kurosaki," he replies, dropping the beer and helping himself to Isshin's best sake.

Just this once, Isshin lets it slide. He pours himself a sampling of sake and offers Ryuken a cigarette.

"Your son's upstairs," he says quietly.

"I know," replies Ryuken.

"Aren't you going to greet him?" he asks.

Ryuken takes a long drag. "He's not here to see me," he says.

As the night wears on, Isshin slips away from the party and travels upstairs to the doorway of his son's room. It's open slightly. Peeking in, he spots Ichigo first, still asleep (he's surprised by the pang of disappointment he feels upon noticing this). But then, surrounding him, are his friends, the ones who've followed him into battle time and time again. They shine in a way that only the young do.

Someone tells a joke and the group erupts into laughter. Orihime, he notices, laughs along with them, almost giddy.

Isshin smiles to himself. Good. This is how it should be.

Ukitake is milling about by the stairs when Isshin rejoins the party.

"Is that where you've been hiding away the heroes of the hour?" he asks, a slight, conspiring smile tugging at his lips.

"Heroes?" says Isshin, "nah, they're just a bunch of kids."

Ukitake chuckles, looking around the room. His gaze lingers on the poster of Masaki pinned to the wall. "Your wife?" he asks. Isshin nods. "Is she…?" Isshin shakes his head.

"Dead," he says bluntly, "seven and half years now."

"I'm sorry," says Ukitake.

"Don't be," replies Isshin, "the time we spent together was more than I deserved."

"Must have been hard on your kids," says Kyoraku, who had been listening in.

Isshin snorts, "why do you think Ichigo is so angry all the time?"

The three of them chuckle at his son's expense and Isshin waits for one of them to speak. He may be out of practice, but he's fought enough battles to recognize that he's cornered.

"You know," says Ukitake, "there's always a place for you, if you wanted to come back."

"Not the tenth, obviously," says Kyoraku, "but we're in need of captains."

Ah, there we go, thinks Isshin. He's been waiting for this invitation all evening. Attempting to hide his bemusement, he looks from Kyoraku to Ukitake and asks, "are you expecting an answer straight away?"

The two captains exchange a look. Should they keep pushing? Something unspoken passes between them and they decide not to.

"Of course not," says Ukitake, "we wouldn't want to rush you, take your time."

"But think about it," says Kyoraku, "you're Isshin Shiba, after all."

The party has become raucous. Isshin is thankful that most of his guests showed up in their spiritual bodies, or else he'd have an army of angry neighbours at his door. Cans and bottles are accumulating on all of his surfaces, someone has produced a deck of cards and abandoned it to the floor and at least half his guests have congregated in the kitchen, where Urahara is taking bets.

"Alright, alright," he says, waving his fan enthusiastically, "so now, who says Rukia?"

A crowd of people raise their hands. They're mostly from Soul Society – he spots Kira, Hisagi, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Isane, Kiyone and even Kyoraku. A few Karakura town dwellers vote for Rukia too – including Tessai and the Vizard woman with green hair, Mashiro.

Urahara jots down their names, "I'm putting you all down for 500 yen," he says. "And now," he continues merrily, "who says Orihime?"

Again, a flurry of hands go up, including Rangiku, Momo and almost all the other Vizards. Isshin casts a glance at Yoruichi, who's happily watching the proceedings without participating herself.

"What exactly are they voting on?" he asks, already, wearily, anticipating the answer.

"Who your son will end up with," she informs him with a cat-like smile. When Isshin begins to grumble, she adds, "lighten up, it's a party. People are just having a bit of fun."

Before he can retort, he can feel himself being pulled centre-stage by Urahara himself.

"Here he is," exclaims the self-proclaimed humble shop-keeper, "the man of the hour, our accommodating host, Isshin Shiba!" A slight cheer erupts and a small chorus of drunkards chants Shiba! Shiba! Shiba! Then, with a wave of his fan, Urahara shushes them. "Now then, let's ask the person who knows Ichigo best –which girl do you think your son will choose? Rukia or Orihime?"

Isshin feels as if he is stuck in the strangest of dreams. He has known his fair share of wacky adventures, but nothing quite as absurd as being asked to divine his son's love life for a crowd of drunken gamblers. Still, he plays along. The answer is glaringly obvious.

"Neither," he says, "my son is too much of an idiot to notice beautiful women." A roar of laughter emerges from the crowd, as well as few discontented remarks. Urahara thanks him for playing and then pushes him back towards Yoruichi, before taking bets on yet another topic.

"Someone's having fun," mutters Isshin,

Yoruichi nods, "I don't think Kiskue's relaxed this much in a century," she says. "But with Aizen gone, it's like he can finally breathe again."

"He shouldn't get too comfortable," interjects Ryuken suddenly, having managed to sneak up on them, "Aizen is hardly the only threat to our world."

Isshin knows exactly what Ryuken is implying and from the look on Yoruichi's face, he gathers that she probably has an inkling too. Still, it has only been five days since Aizen's defeat at his son's hands. People must be allowed to recover from this war before they plan the next.

"Hey, relax," he tell Ryuken, who scowls back, "it's a party."

As the night wears on, Isshin finds himself in conversation with Shinji, self-proclaimed leader of the Vizards (his comrades seem to have differing opinions) and Hiyori, who is insists that she is really the one in charge.

"All this time in the same town and we never crossed paths," says Shinji, "odd, isn't it?"

Isshin shrugs, "I didn't have access to my Shinigami powers until recently," he says, offering no further explanation, "and by the time I did, Ichigo was the one everyone was interested in."

"We trained him, you know," says Hiyori, "taught him how to control his hollow," she continues, "he was an awful student."

"I don't doubt it," replies Isshin with a laugh.

"So," drawls Shinji, casting a wary glance at Ukitake and Kyoraku, "now that your powers are back, have they offered your old job back too?" He grins widely, showing off his perfectly aligned teeth.

"They're moving fast," remarks Isshin. He's not exactly surprised – along with Unohana and Yamamoto, they are founding members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Their loyalty to the institution runs deep. "Have you given them an answer?"

"Ah, not yet," says Shinji, "but I'm thinking 'bout saying yes."

"What, Shinji!" exclaims Hiyori, reaching across Isshin's lap and grabbing the other vizard roughly by the neck, "you can't be serious – not after everything that happened!"

"Ow, ow, ow, Hioyri!" he exclaims, breaking free from her grasp, "I said I was thinking about it!" He rubs his neck dramatically, "I mean, it's not like we were doing much with our lives out here."

Isshin considers this. His original reason for staying in the world of the living –Masaki, the hollow, the gigai – is no longer relevant. But time and a life lived in the world of the living has given him a new set of reasons to stay. The girls, for one, who are still so young, and Ichigo, who, while he's just saved the world, will still be in need of some parenting when he wakes up without his Shinigami powers.

"Is Ichigo going to be ok?" asks Hiyori, as if reading his thoughts "not that I care or anything," she adds quickly.

"I keep having to repeat myself," says Isshin, with a sigh, "my idiot son is going to be fine."

Throughout the night, Isshin is dragged from one side of the party to the other. So much so that he loses track of the girls more than once. They went upstairs (probably to check on Ichigo) at least once, but he only figured that out when he spotted them coming down the stairs. He also saw them chatting with Toshiro earlier (Karin was chatting – Yuzu just looked confused), but he's lost track of them now.

Trying not to panic, he scans the room for them. It takes him a second to locate them because it is hard not to panic when he considers just who is in the room right now. At best, Rangiku is telling them horrible, horrible stories about his younger days. Taking a deep breath, he focuses on Karin's spiritual pressure. She's in the kitchen with Yuzu and, to Isshin's surprise…Ryuken.

"Be gone, vicious cur!" exclaims Isshin, barging enthusiastically into the kitchen. Ryuken glares at him, as does Karin. For a second, he's taken aback by the resemblance. He's always thought that Karin takes after him in terms of looks, but her mother's blood is clearly there too.

Yuzu tugs at his sleeve. "Don't be mean, Daddy," she exclaims sweetly (Yuzu has always been the child who reminds him the most of Masaki –she's the one who inherited his wife's unfailing kindness most fully). "Mr. Ishida was just telling us stories about Mom."

"Yeah," adds Karin, "did you know that they used to live together, when they were kids?"

Isshin did know, but he's thankful that Ryuken has kept that detail to himself. He's not quite ready to share all of his past with his children yet –though, as his conversation on the battlefield with Ichigo taught him, the time will come soon enough.

More touching though is the starry-eyed look in his girls' eyes. He really should tell them more about their mother. They're clearly dying to know.

"Thanks," he tells Ryuken, "guess it was a good idea to let you in here after all."

Ryuken rolls his eyes, "you really should keep a better eye on your children," he says, feigning coldness.

"Yeah, yeah," says Isshin with a shrug, adding, in a whisper, "so should you." Ryuken pretends not to hear. Isshin doesn't push the issue. Instead, he turns to his girls and says, "now then, I think it's time you two went to bed!"

"How are we supposed to sleep with all this noise?" demands Karin, with a yawn.

"It woke us up earlier," chimes in Yuzu, who is struggling to keep her eyes open.

"I think we can manage something," says Isshin.

He enlists the help of one of the Vizards, Hacchi, in creating a soundproof barrier around the girls' room. Once things are set, he carries Karin and Yuzu up to bed on his back.

They're going to be too big for this soon, he thinks, setting them down on their separate beds. They're sound asleep within seconds. Isshin stays with them a while, watching them sleep, enjoying the sound of their quiet, peaceful breathing.

He will have to tell Kyoraku and Ukitake that he won't be returning to Soul Society. He's surprised he even considered it.

He was Isshin Shiba once, and that was a good life, but the life he has here has always been better. Isshin Shiba was nobility, a captain and not bad-looking. He was content. He wasn't missing anything.

But Isshin Kurosaki has a family. He was married to Masaki Kurosaki for a brief, beautiful, perfect moment. Now he has her children, Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu, who need him (no matter what they believe) and whom he needs just as much. Even marred by the death of his wife, the life Isshin Kurosaki is fuller and happier than Isshin Shiba's ever could be.

When he leaves the twins' room, Rangiku is waiting for him, looking panicked and impatient.

"Oh thank god," she says, "you have to come," she grips his arm and starts dragging him down the stairs.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" asks Isshin as he spots revellers pouring out of his house and into the street.

"Your quincy friend," begins Rangiku, "the grumpy one," she adds, as if there could be more than one, "Zaraki said something to him and he took offense and now he's challenged him to a fight."

Isshin frowns. That doesn't sound like Ryuken at all (it does, however, sound like the sort of thing Uryuu would do). He wonders what Kenpachi might have said to set him off. Surely not just a joke about quincies.

They reach the bottom of the stairs and Isshin pushes his way past the crowd and onto the street. Sure enough, Ryuken is reaching for his bow and Zaraki is powering up.

He should have known something like this would happen.

Using shunpo, he flashes over to Ryuken's side.

"I don't think you understand just who you're taking on," he says, placing a hand on the other man's shoulder.

Ryuken bristles, "you mean the man who just called Masaki an insatiable orange-haired babe?" he snaps, "no, I think I know exactly who I'm taking on."

Isshin feels his anger mounting, "he didn't," he spits.

"He did," Ryuken assures him, "and that's the nicest thing he said." He then proceeds to list off a string of insults so terrible that Isshin begins to feel nauseous.

Part of him, the part that was a captain of the 13 court guard squads and that has worked with Zaraki over the years, knows that these statements were calculated to get a rise out of Ryuken. No doubt the Kenpachi has been dying to fight a quincy for ages now. But another part of him, the part that was married to Masaki and that would have done anything to protect her, will not let these insults stand, no matter how clearly he's being toyed with.

"If he said that," declared Isshin, transforming into his Shinigami state, "then there's no way you're fighting him alone."

Across from them, Zaraki laughs with glee at this addition to the fight. "You both want to take me on at once? Well alright, I like a challenge."

All around them, crowds are gathering. Somewhere, Isshin is certain, Urahara has started taking bets. On the second floor, the window to Ichigo's room opens. Five youthful faces look out at the impending carnage in the street.

Isshin can feel the power rushing through him. He's ready for this fight. He looks to his right and he sees Ryuken feels the same. Preparing to run in, he yells: "this is for Masaki!"

Perhaps fortunately, his own cry is drowned out by louder one.

"STOP!" yells Orihime Inoue, "STOP FIGHTING, PLEASE!"

Her voice rings out among the chaos, causing everyone to stop what they're doing and look up. She's leaning out of Ichigo's window, her long hair billowing in the breeze, her pretty face covered in tears.

The revellers quiet down. Isshin unsteadily sheaths his sword. Next to him, Ryuken shakily puts away his bow. A couple captains are dispatched to diffuse Kenpachi. Everyone shuffles around awkwardly, shamed by the memory of the very war they are trying to forget tonight – and its lasting consequences.

Orihime watches them all. Once she's satisfied that the fighting won't recommence, she retreats into Ichigo's room, followed by all of her namaka, except for one.

Uryuu Ishida sticks around for a minute or so, eyeing his father suspiciously. Isshin wonders how much the kid's picked up in the past five minutes. Probably more than his father would like.

Isshin looks again at the crowd assembled in front of his house. "Alright, back inside now. Party's over."

His guests slip out in small groups. It takes half an hour for them to leave. They shuffle out in various states of inebriation, some of them embarrassed by their current condition and others too far gone for shame.

Among the last to leave are Ukitake and Kyoraku.

"I won't be coming back," says Isshin as they stand in his doorway, "my life is Soul Society is over."

The two nod and thank him for his answer. Neither of them looks surprised.

Later still, he peeks in again on Ichigo and his friends. His son still hasn't woken up (but the idiot will be fine, he reminds himself). His friends, however, are still awake despite the late hour.

They no longer congregate around Ichigo. Instead, they surround Orihime as she sobs, her head pressed onto Rukia's shoulder.

Rukia strokes her hair and whispers comforting things. Renji, Uryuu and Chad look uncomfortable, but none of them try to leave.

Good, thinks Isshin, this is also how it should be.

The next day, everyone sleeps late. When they do wake up, Ichgio's friends set about picking up the debris left over from last night's party. Orihime and Rukia chat while they do the dishes. Renji and Chad collect the trash and take it out. Uryuu wipes, sweeps and mops.

For a kid who scowls like a delinquent, Ichigo has somehow managed to befriend a pack of really good kids.

Isshin nurses a coffee and tries to help out as well. Unfortunately for him, the young things furiously cleaning his home insist of letting him rest. Even the Karin and Yuzu won't let him help as they set about making everyone breakfast.

One by one, they leave, stepping out into the blinding sunshine. One by one, Isshin walks them to the door and answers the question.

"Will Orihime be ok?" they all ask, each in their own way.

"Yeah," says Isshin each time, "you just need to give her time."

"Keep an eye on her," says Renji.

Chad nods, "she's stronger than she looks," he says.

Rukia looks wistful, "you're right," she says, "this sort of thing always takes time."

Uryuu is doubtful, "I'm not so sure," he says. "Not after what she went through…"

Isshin can guess that Uryuu is hiding something from him. He can even guess what it is. He doesn't say anything though, He's hiding things too.

As if he can sense this, Uryuu asks, "last night, with Ryuken, what was that about?" He pauses, reformulates his question more clearly; "why was he ready to fight Kenpachi in your wife's name?"

Where to begin, Isshin wonders. It's a long story. It's also not his story to tell – at least, not this bit, not the part that concerns Uryuu.

"Ask your father," he says, after a long pause, "he should be the one to tell you."

Uryuu nods, not entirely satisfied with this answer, but too polite to push the issue with an elder who doesn't want to talk.

"Well, thanks, in any case," he says, leaving the house, "that was a great party."

When Isshin goes back inside, he finds Orihime heading towards the door, bags in hand.

"You're welcome to stay," he says.

"I really shouldn't," she says, fidgeting under his gaze, "you've already done so much."

Isshin is reminded of Rangiku's insistence that he shouldn't coddle her. And he's reminded that he doesn't agree.

"At least stay until Ichigo wakes up," he says, "it won't do you any good, to run to his room all the way from your apartment when you wake up in the middle of the night."

Orihime blushes furiously at this. "Ok," she says hesitantly. Gently, she puts her bags on the floor. She looks outside for a second.

"The truth is, I don't know what to do with myself," she says, "When I left, I thought my life here was over…"

"But it's not," says Isshin, looking at Orihime, and beyond her, to the poster of Masaki, "you have your whole life ahead of you now."

He knows that sounds intimidating to someone so young. A whole life seems much longer at fifteen. But Isshin knows that life in this world is short –losing Masaki taught him this lesson a hundred times over- and he isn't about to let Orihime spend hers defined by her stay in Hueco Mundo.

"All you have to do," he says, "is live."

END.

Post scriptum

Later, when Ichigo does finally wake up –first from his month long rest and then from his all-consuming self-pity at having lost his powers – he will ask Isshin the same question his friends did.

"Is Orihime going to be ok?" he'll ask, in a quiet moment, trying and failing to hide the urgency underlying his words. "When I was…away, the espada, they all said that she wasn't alright. Not really."

Isshin will puzzle at his son. He will wonder how long his son has been carrying this worry around, bubbling under the surface. He will try to divine an answer that will satisfy Ichigo (though he will guess, that like Orihime, his son won't accept his answer until he sees the concrete results).

"She'll be fine," he will eventually say, "but it might take time." And then he will look his son in the eyes, and say, quite seriously, "make sure you're there for her. She needs your support."

Ichigo will nod, firmly. He will adopt the look he gets when he resolves to protect others. He will silently decide to do his best for her.

(Even later, Isshin will be chatting with Kisuke and mention, with a wink: "oh, by the way, next time you set up a bet –I'm putting my money on Orihime").