Chapter 2

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when skies are gray,

You'll never know dear, how much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away,"

She couldn't halt the tears that cascaded from her ox colored eyes. She was expecting this heart wrenching letter from her father but for some reason those lyrics gutted her beyond belief. That song had so much more emotion than any 'heart wrenching letter' would. It reminded her of how he used to sing to her every night after her mother was murdered. How he would call her his 'sunshine' and her sister was his 'Northern Star'.

"Daddy, why do you call my sister star?" asked a six year old Karin three years after her mother's death.

"Because she is letting me know where home is," answered her father as he played with her wet locks after her's and Yuzu's bath.

"Why do you call my sister 'Sunshine', Daddy?" asked her twin from her bed in their shared room.

"Because she eliminates my path home," he replied before standing up to leave the bedroom to let them sleep.

She hadn't thought much about those nicknames and still doesn't but that song will forever remind her of that night so many years ago.

"Goat chin," she muffled a sob with her hand.

Toshiro on the other hand crumpled his letter between fisted hands. His eyes were looking in front of him in a blank stare. He didn't want to believe the letter but there on white paper were the scribbles of his 'Captain's' writing. He swore his life to protecting the Captain's sunshine, but this… He was an 18 year old boy still in high school, for heaven's sake. He and Karin just met! And what's with 'his mother already knowing'? What the fuck?!

"Toshiro?" came Karin's soft voice at the same time a soft hand touched his clenched fists. He turned around and saw her – really saw her; her silky black hair was in a ponytail, her bangs framed her face, her big beautiful dark eyes were puffy from crying, her red nose, her lips from where she's been gnawing at them, and her porcelain cheeks were stained by eyeliner and the tears.

"Captain?" he whispered, their eyes locked with each other.

He wasn't sure why, but the Captain was right. Karin will end this war against Las Noches. They think they are weak and powerless now with Ichigo in a coma. They think they'll kill one another to reach the position of Captain with or disband since they have no leader. But they have Karin. Las Noches my think that she's weak and a liability because she is 'clinically depressed' but they are wrong – he can see it. Her eyes aren't dull and dead, their shin is at rest until it's time for her to take over – and she will.

"Why is everyone calling me 'Captain'?" she whispered back as his breath tickled her cheek.

"Because you're our Captain, now," he blinked as he cleared his throat, noticing their noses are barly brushing against each other. He backed away a bit causing her to do the same.

Karin raised a curious thin brow at his words. She has absolutely no clue how many time people have called her that throughout the day, and seriously, it was getting old. Every time she asks why, they all give her the same answer – silence.

"We should get to the basement," he abruptly stood from his spot on the bed, faced her, and gave her a respectable bow. "Everyone is waiting for us."

She snorted as she whipped the tears away, "Okay, Romeo," she mocked and hopped off her bed. She proceeded to walk out of her room but as she reached the doorway she felt a chill creep up her spin. Ignoring it, she turned to look at her new friend and found him glaring out the window. "Toshiro?"

He signaled her to stay quiet and move back some, but she was a Kurosaki-Shiba, and neither one of those listen to orders at all. He felt her gently place her hand on his forearm.

"Dammit, Karin," he scuffed quietly without moving his lips as he stared down the person dressed in all white as they peered into the bedroom form an adjacent rooftop.

"To…"

"Don't move your lips," he spoke, "act normal and walk out of the room," he ordered.

Acting offended, she scuffed, gave him a really look, dropped her hand, and stormed out of her room. She quickly got to the stairs and waited for the boy but a creak at the bottom of the stairs frightened her. Turning around, she came face to face with her Uncle Jushiro Ukitake. She was about to speak but shut her mouth so fast her teeth clacked when they connected, when she saw his pistol in hand. He brought his index finger and told her to 'shush', and she complied.

"Quietly, step down," he whispered to her, she nodded and did as told.

She was freaking out – her house was dead quiet but what made it even worse was the fact that there was a sliding glass door in her living room and two huge windows in the dining room.

The walk down stairs took forever but was relieved when she finally made it to him. That was short lived when the sound of gun fire broke the silence. Ukitake's fatherly instinct took over and used his body to shield his niece by throwing himself over her.
Toshiro ran out of the room and ran down the stairs tumbling when he lost his footing. Regaining his footing, he trying running past the other two, "Where's my mom?!"

"In the basement," hisses the older white haired man as he yanks the boy by the collar of his shirt, "Our mothers are important, but we swore to protect the Captain and that's what your mother wants you to do!"

"AH," cried Karin when the sliding glass window shatters into a million pieces.

"Shit!" hissed Toshiro at the same time.

Ukitake hands over his pistol to his nephew before drawing his twin silver and gold .38 from his shoulder holster.

"What?" breathed Toshiro looking at the gun with wide eyes.

"Sorry, boy, but gun handling should have been your first lesson in "Court Guard' School", said the man offering a humorless laugh. "Karin, we need to get you down to the basement. Stay close, okay?"

She nodded looking deep into his eyes. His warm honey color was dark with range and determination. "Yes."

Ukitake led the way with both teen following close behind. But the men in white were already inside the house. Before them stood a tall blonde female with long blonde messy hair, dark skin, piercing green eyes, the lower part of her face was cover by a mask, her assets were literally popping out from under her white blazer, and over-sized baggy white pants.

"I want the boy," she spoke smoothly, looking straight at Toshiro.

"Over my dead body," growled Rangiku as she smashed a porcelain black vase against the woman's head. "No one touches my son, bitch," she snarled. "She the only one that got in and everyone else was a distraction. Sei-fing is already setting a perimeter, Yoruichi is on the line with Mizuiro trying to keep this out of the media, and Renji already spoke to Tatsuki to have all the 911 calls about this transferred over to Keigo and Mizuho." The Strawberry blonde's voice had gone from a cheery, bubbly, energetic mother to a stone cold killer. She turned over to Karin and slightly bowed respectfully, "I apologize for the delay of these meeting, Captain, but we didn't thinks someone would attack on the day of Captain Shiba's death."

"Shiba?" asked Karin confusedly.

"Rangiku, let's get my baby niece down to the basement just in case Las Noches decide to attack once more," laughed Ukitake as he hoisted his weapons.

The older female snapped her fingers, showing off her perfectly manicured nails, and two young men appeared before them. One of them handcuffed the passed out woman and drags her away. "You are to go to the Captain's privete quarters and pack her belongings. She well do a walkthrough of her room and if anything is missing or moved by a millimeter I will personally punish you. Don't even think of running I have a photographic memory so I will find you," she glared at the boy.

"Yes, madam," answered the boy before darting up to her room.

"I need a drink," sighed Rangiku and began walking off. Karin's eyes widened at how quickly her voice changed.

"I'm sure Shu-hei and Izuru would love to join you," laughed the older male. "Those two were always after you when they joined the rank. Reminds me of when we met..."

"Don't you dear say his name," growled the beauty.

Karin drowned out their bickering as they walked but Toshiro caught on real quick that they were speaking of his father. She wondered how they were so chill about what happened just a few moments ago and how they were going to proceed with this 'meeting'. She was frightened by the flying bullets, even Toshiro was shaking in his shiny black shoes. And his grip on her hand wasn't helping either… wait a minute… isn't he sworn to protect her? Wow -_-."

"My lord," began a very cool and collected voice, "Harribel orchestrated an attack at the Kurosaki clinic a few moments ago."

"And?" answered another.

"She did it out of persona reason, sir. We don't know why. She has never against one from the Shiba's or their clan – ever. She along with 10 others left and only two arrived," he cleared his throat, "she didn't return, sir."

"Replace her," lazily sighed the other man, "if she can't follow orders she doesn't deserve to be part of us. We don't need weak people in our units," he laughed manically, "Las Noches and I will end those Shiba scrum for what they did to me."

"Yes, Captain."

Karin held her uncle's hand as they descended down the basement stairs. It was her first time being down here. She didn't even know this room existed, it was so well hidden, she was sure not even Yuzu knew about it.

When Rangiku removed the ugly ass rug in her father's clinic office, reveling a hidden door – her breath hitched. But now actually descending the cold cement steps – shit was creepy as fuck. At the bottom of the stairs was a huge sliding black door. The strawberry blonde haired woman opened it, revealing a furniture-less pink room with wooden floor and three perfectly aligned alters. But what caught her attention were the two lines of adults standing in a straight line.

Curiosity got the best of her and she walked over to the alters and paid attention to them. On one of them were photos of late parents, the second had of her sister and Jinta, and the third had photos of two people she didn't know. The third alter was the one that really caught her attenetion. The man in the photos looks like on older version of her bother. They were identical, except for the hair, but everything was the same – eye shape, lips, sharp nose, eye color – everything.

"What the fuck?" she whispered, turning around to look at everyone else. They all looked, for the exception of Toshiro, they all looked normal. "What is going on and what the hell are you guys doing?" she laughed nervously.

"Captain, we are your squad," began her drunk of an Uncle, Shunsui. She had learned not to listen to him for that reason but ….. What?

"Again with this "Captain" crap," she pinched the bridge of her nose annoyingly.

"We are here to guide you as you learn and grown," spoke a raven haired man, also known as her brother's brother-in-law, Byakuya.

"To protect you," answered a young blond male her brother's age, Izuru.

"You are the last pure blood Shiba and Toshiro the last unmarried Ishida. You will now the Captain of the entire Sieretei," smiled Ms. Unahana. "We are here to follow your orders." Everyone respectfully bowed their heads at them.

"Nononononono," began Karin putting her hands up and shrugging her shoulders. "My name is Kurosaki. Ka-rin Ku-ro-sa-ki," the broke her name down in syllables. "I don't know any Shiba's, aren't they like the nation's most notorious gang or something?" she asked no one in particular.

"'Kurosaki' was your mother's name and since she had no brothers, to continue the name, your father took it," smiled Rangiku. Her heart swelled when she looked up and saw her son and godchild standing in the Captain's spot. Just like the captain had predicted years ago. But the only thing missing was her other godchild – Yuzu – Karin's older twin sister. She should be standing next to her sister, just like when she and Mazaki did when they were younger after her and Isshin married. After the previous Captain and his wife tragically died.

Normally, a child would inherit the position from their parent after years of putting in work, but since Kaien, Isshin's older brother, didn't have children, Isshin being the second oldest took over. Now with Captain Isshin's passing, Ichigo should take over but with his 'being out of commission' at the moment Karin will take over.

"Captain," began Byakuya, "this meeting is for us to introduce ourselves and our positions. We are to give you a brief summary of our current situations and business," he spoke in his normal dead tone.

"Fine," she sighed, "whatever"

She had no clue what everyone was speaking about. She was still trying to process the events from earlier – not that she was having any luck with that.

'This gots to be a dream. That's it, this is nothing but a horrible nightmare and when I wake up everyone will be alive and well. Mom and dad will be happily married. Yuzu and Jinta will be alive. Ichigo will be finishing up college and working over at Riuken's hospital,' she thought to herself as she acted interested in everything.

"Okay, I think that's enough," spoke her drunk uncle, "It's been an eventful day and I don't want her to go mental before she begins her duties. Las Noches knows she's her, which means that so does Aizen." That sparked interest. "And I don't want to lose any more nieces or nephews to that man. I'll see everyone at my place for Christmas." The long haired man walked over to her and gave her a much needed bear hug. He released her and glared at Toshiro, "I know what your letter said. My cousin consulted it with me, your mother, and Jushiro, you better tell her before Aizen's next attack or I will deal with you." Shunshi was a kind spirt just like Ukitake, Isshin, and Rangiku so when he voice came out edgy it through everyone off.

He'd be damned if he allowed Karin out of his sight now. He has to protect her – always, just like her promised. But was the Captain crazy? Cone one, they are only high school students, she's only 17 and he just turned 18 yesterday.

Arriving at their building their apartment was, Toshiro helped his mother and Karin out of the car. He knew Karin wasn't used to such luxury by the way her father raised her to be humble. Isshin raised her by separating home and business, but can he give her that life too?

Many questions swam in his head as they entered the elevator, but he had to agree to the arrangement her father and his mother made years ago. He's going to have to be that man now.

Entering the apartment, he allowed his mother to help the raven haired teen get settled into her new room. From this day forward Karin will be living with them and hopefully this helps them both in the long run.

He darts straight to his room to grab a new change of clothes, then to the bathroom for a 'quick' shower to was off all the dirt and grim his body accumulated throughout the day.

"FUCK!"

Allowing the blazing hot water to rinse away all the dirt, sweat, and tears, Toshiro stood under the shower heat, thinking. His life is different now. Completely different. they are no longer the high school students. They, including their friends, are now part of a very dangerous world.

"Why did you allow us to do this, Cap.?" he asked no one in particular, "But I'll do it since it's your last wish. I'll protect her from everything in this God forsaken world. She'll never be alone by myside, I promise you that. Together we'll destroy Las Noches and Aizen – for you, for Ms. Mazaki, for Yuzu, for Ichigo, for my father, for your sunshine," he promised.

Rangiku escorted Karin to the vacant room next to her son's. She liked it, baby blue walls, full size bed next to a floor to ceiling window, cream color desk on the opposite side of the room with a matching stocked bookshelf – just your standard teenage girl bedroom that lacked decoration.

"You like baby blue, right?" she asked as Karin surveyed the room.

"Yes, ma'am," smiled Karin as she ran the tips of her fingers against the soft comforter on the bed. "It's beautiful. How did you know?"

"I remember your father say it once when he came over to visit. After Yuzu died."

"How did you know my parents?" asked Karin, taking a seat on her new bed.

Rangiku offered a warm smile, "We all went to the same school you and your son go to. Just like your mother, Toshiro's father is part of the Ishida's and I to the Shiba's. No immediate blood relation so doesn't worry," nervously laughed the older woman as she took a seat next to the girl. "Growing up, it had always been Shunsui, Ukitake, your father and I. In that order, too. They are older and ask we all turned 13 we entered the academy. I was alone when Uki turned was sent away and by chance I met your mother one day during their Spring break the year before your mother and I were sent there.

Flash back

12 year old Rangiku Matsumoto was running an errand for her mother on afternoon. But like any adolescent girl, she was distracted by the pretty outfits on display as she walked down a popular shopping strip. As she walked she lightly swung the plastic bad that contain the tampons and pantie liners her mother requested and preteen beginner pads for herself.

As she walked down the sidewalk, she saw a young girl with beautiful blonde hair running towards her followed by three older boys. Said girl was scared and it showed in her face, but none of the adults present did anything about it. No one batted an eye at her. What caught her attention imidiatly as they neared wasn't the girls petrified expression but the torn white button up blows and matching knee length pink floral print skirt – also torn. Rangiku ran towards them and as she passed the girl she swung her bag at one of the assailants. The blonde female stopped when she heard an 'oaf' followed but painful grunts. She turned around and stared wide-eyes and the thin strawberry blonde, dressed in a white over-sized t-shit, shorts, and hi-top sneakers repeatedly kick the boy on the ground as blood flowed out of his mouth and nose.

People finally acknowledged them.

"Mazaki?!" shouted two boys in unison but she was too preoccupied watching the sight before her. The other two perverted boys left when they saw two white haired boys near.

Rangiku squatted down and picked up the boy by his matted brown hair, "Now, if you knew she didn't want to play, why did you follow her?" she hummed in a eerily sweet voice that sent chill up the spine of everyone who was present.

"I'm sorry," moaned the older boy.

"Tsk," Rangiku slammed his head against the concert before picking him up again to look in his eyes. "I didn't ask you for an apology," she clarified, " I asked why?"

"Ran," called a smooth voice before the boy could answer. She looked up and smiled at the three boys before her.

"Sorry, play time's over. I have to go home now," she dropped his head, "don't forget to apologize." She looked at the girl behind her, "Are you okay?" she offered a polite smile, "Did they hurt you?"

The other girl shook her head no as she clung to a boy slightly taller than her – his eyes were closed and the creepiest grin was adoring his face.

"Thank you for helping me," the girls voice was sweet and smooth as honey.

"No problem. I'm Rangiku and those are my friends and cousin," she pointed at the older boys.

"I'm Mazaki and these are my cousins," the girl loosened her hold on the boy.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Mazaki, see you around," Rangiku picked up her item and literally skipped her way to the older boys, jumping on the back of the taller boy with curly hair.

When grade 7 began the following August at Shino Academy, she found herself bunking with the girl she saved months ago – they became best friends.

Present

"As far as I know, a Shiba has to marry an Isshida but since I'm a very distant Shiba and my husband and distant Ishida, you and my son must unite and run the seiretei as one."

"What if I refuse?" began Karin. "Ichigo is the oldest."

"Ichigo is a hot head just like your uncle Kaien but he is not worth of being Captain," stated Rangiku. "He even voted for you." She took Karin's hands in her own, "Karin, you are out Captain, we are her to help you, to protect you, and you and my son will produce such beautiful babies," squealed Rangiku and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

"What?!" coughed Karin with her eyes wide in shock.

They guys, I'm back with another chapter. I'm sorry for all the grammatic errors in this, I did my best to edit them but I began to get distracted. *mumbles* damn you 'Orange is the new black*

Anyhow, let me know what ya think. Follow me on tumblr for Chapter updates previews maggiexxlove

Besos