Once they reached the Seireitei, Ichigo, Kyoraku, Rukia, and Renji all headed to Squad 12 to get a little more information on Byakuya's transformation.

"He seems pretty attached to you." Rukia said as Byakuya held fast to Ichigo's neck in fear.

"Well, from his reaction to everyone, it looks like he doesn't remember anyone. I'd be scared too… my reiatsu is pretty strong so I'm surprised he even came to me." He looked at Byakuya and smiled. "Don't be scared. We're all here to help you."

Byakuya hugged Ichigo's neck a little more to confirm he trusted him.

Kyoraku hovered over Mayuri, who was looking at the broken form of Senbonzakura. Mayuri corner glanced him.

"If you could not hover over me, I could get done a lot faster."

"Do I annoy you, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Kyoraku challenged.

"Yes."

Kyoraku smiled but respectfully stepped back from Mayuri as he picked up the hilt of Senbonzakura and examined it a little more. He turned around in his chair.

"I regret to say that I don't know. It's new to me, the feeling of the unknown. But if I had a blood sample-"

"Hell no!" Ichigo growled, holding Byakuya closer to him.

Mayuri frowned. "As much as I want to experiment on the captain just for fun, I actually do need a blood sample from him so that I can compare previous blood samples and see what the problem is."

Ichigo looked at Byakuya, who looked at him, and he put his forehead to his.

"He needs to get blood from you, alright?" Byakuya just stared at him. "Do you know what blood is?" He nodded. "Good, then he needs to get a little from your arm, okay? I'll be right here so he won't hurt you."

Byakuya nodded and Ichigo set him down, covering him more with the kosode so he would be covered. He shuffled over to Mayuri. Mayuri pushed back the sleeve and wiped the entry with an alcohol swab. He then stuck the needle in and began to get some blood.

Rukia watched as Byakuya's lip began to tremble. He held out until Mayuri pulled the needle out and he finally broke out in tears, running back to Ichigo. Ichigo scooped him up immediately and looked at his arm, seeing the small puncture wound heal up completely as Byakuya held him around the neck again.

"You did very good, Byakuya."

"Now that I have the sample I need, everyone needs to get out of my laboratory. I can't work with all you mongrels touching everything and being in proximity of me. Get out." Mayuri growled, shooing everyone out.

Rukia looked at Ichigo.

"Are you going to keep watch over him?"

"Actually," Kyoraku said. "He should go back to the Kuchiki Clan and to see Ginrei. He should know what to do with him. If you could please deliver him to the Kuchiki household?" he asked, looking at Ichigo.

"Sure."

"I think I should go as well to try and explain to Grandfather what's happened."

"That might be a good idea."

Rukia nodded and the three of them headed out to go to the Kuchiki mansion.

"It's so odd. I wonder what caused this." Ichigo asked.

"Where did you find him?"

"He was hiding in the roots of a tree and after a bit of coaxing and reassuring that I wasn't a threat, he finally came out. He doesn't remember anything, not even his own name… At least I don't think so…" He looked at Byakuya. "Do you know your name?"

"Bokuwa.."

Rukia almost died of sugary love-love overload. Oh, Nii-sama, you're so cute!

"That's good…"

"Dat boo man poked my awm." He said softly, pointing to the tiny bruise on his forearm.

"He sure did." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Who isth dat? He said, pointing at Rukia.

"That's Rukia, she's your sister."

Byakuya looked at her and then looked back at Ichigo. She was small and he was big. He was a lot bigger than him…

"Awe you my daddy cuz you're bigger?"

Ichigo and Rukia stopped in the middle of the street in shock as Byakuya looked at the both of them in confusion. Ichigo finally gained control of himself and cleared his throat.

"Uh, ahem, well, I'm a friend of yours so…"

"Will you be my daddy?"

"Uh…" he looked at Rukia for help.

"You have a grandfather who will take good care of you until you get back to normal. We're going to meet him now." She said.

"But I want Itsugo to be my daddy. He's not scawy."

Rukia smirked as Ichigo smiled nervously. He liked kids but this was Byakuya, the most stuck up, proud, and emotionless person that Ichigo ever knew. Having him just blurt out that he liked Ichigo and wanted him to take care of him was just too much. To Rukia, it was adorably funny but to Ichigo it was awkward.

"We'll uh… see what happens when we go to the Kuchiki mansion, okay?"

Byakuya nodded as they entered the gates.

Ginrei lifted a white eyebrow at Byakuya and then looked at Ichigo and Rukia.

"If you wanted to tell me that you had had a secret child, Rukia, I would be disappointed but happy for you. And with Ichigo Kurosaki… he will be a strong child indeed."

"No! No, Ginrei-sama, this isn't my child. This is Nii-sama."

He looked at her and blinked.

"Explain that to me again?"

"We really don't know what happened but Ichigo found Nii-sama like this after this last battle. The only clues we have in regards to his appearance is the fact that Senbonzakura is broken."

"My grandson would never have broken his zanpakuto. Byakuya is too smart for that."

"That's the thing, Ginrei-sama, is that it isn't like Byakuya at all." Ichigo said. "Someone did this to him and now he's like this."

"Ginrei-sama, this is Nii-sama."

"Your jokes are quite humorous, Rukia, but I cannot believe that my grandson would end up this way."

"He looks exactly like Byakuya but just really tiny!" Ichigo yelled.

"Itsugo?" Byakuya asked in confusion.

Ichigo's rage subsided enough for him to compose himself and he looked at Ginrei.

"Fine, if you won't take him in, do I have your permission to take care of him?"

"Do as you please."

He bowed and left to back outside.

Ichigo tromped outside with Rukia on his tail. She could tell he was livid but the story was a little outlandish. Although Ginrei could have thought of another scenario better than the one he had…

"I can't believe he didn't believe us. I mean, he looks just like Byakuya. Just tinier."

"And cuter."

"That is not the point."

"Did I do somefing bad?" Byakuya asked.

"No, you did nothing bad. But, it looks like you'll have to stay with me for a while."

Byakuya's face brightened. "Yay!"

"That's a first." Rukia said, looking at Ichigo. "I've never seen him happy to be near you at all. Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" he said, putting Byakuya down and holding his hand.

"Helping Nii-sama. You know that he would have left you out there in the tree and then told me or Renji to go and retrieve you."

"And you know that I'm not an ass like him."

Byakuya grabbed a hold of Rukia's hand as the three walked back to the squads. Byakuya looked up.

"Awe you gonna be my daddy now?"

Ichigo sighed but didn't answer the question.

Byakuya decided to ask later as he watched his bare feet to make sure he didn't step on any pebbles.

ginrei is kind of a douche here but... he needed to be. ginrei would have probably just set him up with a servant. he needs culture... he needs ichigo... because ichigo has a soft spot for kids. i just feel he does