In The Last Chapter…

"….. a pregnancy test…." Captain Ukitake's eyes widened, "The cap covers the results. I can't look." she tightened her hand around it, "I just can't…" with tender hands, Captain Ukitake took the test from her trembling fingers. She turned her head away when he uncapped it.

"Um, Minako…" he said softly. Minako gulped and glanced at the test, her eyes growing wide as she saw the results…

"It's… It- it's…"

+ Pregnant

CHAPTER THREE
A Confused Lieutenant

THE NEXT DAY

Minako was lifeless as she sat at her desk, signing her name on each page of paperwork. Captain Ukitake watched worriedly at her blank expression. She still had tear stains on her cheeks, her eyes were dark from little sleep, and she would tremble with every swipe of the pen across the paper. Sosuke Aizen was dead, and his lieutenant was now in jail for attacking another captain, as well as Izuru Kira for releasing his zanpaku-to on the poor girl who's captain had been found dead. Momo, one of Minako's closest friends, in jail. Was there anything else that could go wrong? Oh yes… she was pregnant… pregnant with the dead man's child. Kiyone came in, a worried expression on her face as she glanced at the poor woman, "Kiyone, what is the result?" she cleared her throat.

"Well, Isane told me that Captain Unohana did a thorough examination, and concluded that there wasn't any way that it could be a corpse doll, and that it was indeed Captain Aizen." Minako's hand tightened around the pen as she clenched her teeth together. Captain Ukitake nodded.

"Thank you Kiyone. You may go now." Kiyone bowed slightly and went out of his office. Captain Ukitake stood up, walking to Minako's desk. He knelt down, putting a hand on her shivering shoulder, watching a silver tear streak down her cheek, "Would you like to go see him?" Minako's eyes widened as she looked at him, "I can take you to see him if you want." Minako sniffled and nodded, standing up with her captain. They walked out of the barracks and down the many paths until arriving at Squad Four. Minako walked in first, followed by Captain Ukitake. Minako slowly walked through the halls when she saw her former captain, who offered her a kind smile.

"Did you want to see him Minako?" she asked, looking at the poor girl's tear streaked face. Minako slowly nodded, "Follow me." the two Squad Thirteen members followed her as she led them through the halls, stopping in front of a dim room, "Here you go." Minako took a deep breath and went through the door, closing her eyes when she saw him on the bed-mat. He looked peaceful, as if her were sleeping. She slowly sat on her knees beside him, taking his cold hand in hers. More tears went down her cheeks as she bowed her head.

"Oh Sosuke… What am I going to do?" she whispered, "I don't know what to do… I can't do this alone." she reached over and ran her fingers through his soft, chocolate brown locks, smiling softly, "I always said your hair looked better slicked back. You looked more mysterious. You remember?" she leaned down and kissed his forehead, "You said I was silly, and that you liked your hair the way it was. But I always liked that one curl that hung in your face whenever I slicked your hair back for fun." she was quiet for a few seconds, "…..Did you know you would die? Is that why you wanted to keep our relationship a secret?" she wondered, "But… if you knew you would die… why did… why did we ever get together? I'm so confused Sosuke… I don't know what to do… I can't raise a… a baby alone. I didn't even get to tell you…" she slowly brought his limp hand to her stomach, "I'm having a baby Sosuke… you're baby. Would you have been happy if I told you?" she tucked an orange lock behind her ear, looking down at the hand that was still on her belly. Her hand tightened around it, "I love you." she sniffled, moving to where she was holding him in her arms, his head leaning on her shoulder. Her cheek rested on his forehead as she silently wept.

Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana watched outside the door window as Minako held her lover close, "It's such a shame. Not only have we lost a captain, but Minako has lost a lover." Captain Ukitake nodded, sighing as he lowered his head.

"Indeed. I found her last night in her bathroom floor crying in hysterics. And… I picked her up and placed her on her bed, when she went back to pick up something…" Captain Unohana raised an eyebrow, "It was a pregnancy test." her eyes widened, "A positive, pregnancy test." Captain Unohana looked back into the dark room.

"Are you certain?" he nodded, "I didn't know they were participating in those certain activities… Minako should have known better. There's no telling how she feels." she turned to her friend, "I need you to watch her closely Jushiro. If she starts to get upset, you have to find a way to calm her down. If she gets too worked up, or too stressed, it could end in a miscarriage. I doubt she's registering that fact right now. Make sure she rests while she's at the office. Keep her at her desk, and if she needs to, or if you think she does, make her go lay down. Drag her if you have to." Captain Ukitake nodded, "She cannot lose this baby. That's all she has left of him. I've known her for years, and I know how she handles these things. You have to watch her." the last sentence came with a beyond serious tone, one that Captain Ukitake had rarely heard from his good friend, "Watch her carefully. Offer to walk her home, take her to dinner, something to get her mind off this. Anything you can think of. She loves water. Maybe take her to your estate and let her feed your koi fish for a few hours, or meet your family. Anything at all that could possibly get her mind off this. Can you do that?" he nodded, "Good."

Minako enjoyed the silence in the room. That way she could remember his voice. But one thing she couldn't remember… did he ever say 'I love you'? Her eyes slowly parted, her jaw slightly dropping, "He didn't…" she felt her eyes sting once more with fresh tears as she looked at the calm face of her deceased lover. She couldn't recall one time when he told her he loved her, "Sosuke…."

Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana didn't expect Minako to suddenly burst from the room, running down the hallways out of Squad Four. Captain Ukitake quickly glanced at Captain Unohana before dashing after his lieutenant. He followed her until she stopped at a small creek, falling to her knees. Captain Ukitake went to her, "What happened Minako?" she slightly jumped, not knowing she had been followed. She shook her head, wiping her wet cheeks with her sleeves and giving him a fake smile.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." he didn't believe it for a minute. He kneeled beside her, taking her chin in between his thumb and index finger, tilting her head up so her eyes met his.

"Nothing is fine Minako. Tell me what's wrong?" her 'smile' faded back into a frown and she launched herself into his unexpecting arms.

"Oh captain! I can't remember! I can't remember…" she took a breath as she let out a sob, "I can't remember when he said he loved me! I can't remember! He never said it…" Captain Ukitake's eyes widened slightly. He gently brought his arms about her, comforting her in a warm hug, "I remember telling him. I told him I loved him almost every time I saw him. So how come he never said it in return?" she shook her head, "I don't know what to do… I can't raise a baby by myself…" Captain Ukitake softly smiled, petting her soft locks of flaming orange.

"You won't be by yourself Minako." confused, the woman looked up at him, "You will have all of Squad Thirteen to help you. They have taken to you so well, I'm sure they would love this baby. Kiyone and Sentarou would be more than happy to help, as would I." he looked out over the creek, "You won't be alone. Squad Thirteen will be your family. Alright?" he didn't receive a reply. He looked down, and chuckled softly when he saw that she had fallen asleep, leaning against him and breathing softly. The white haired captain slipped an arms under her knees, and with a simple flash step, headed towards her home.

THE NEXT NIGHT

Minako sat at her dresser, in front of a mirror while she brushed her hair. Her expression was blank in the mirror as her brush repeated its movements through her orange locks. She cringed when a few curls were tangled here and there, but you didn't hear a sound of pain. With a sigh, she sat down her brush and stood, unwrapping her towel from her body to slip a nightgown over her flesh. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned against the dresser, taking soft breaths, "Sosuke…"

"Yes?" her eyes flew open as she gasped, quickly turning around to face the one she would never see again.

"S-Sosuke?" she reached out, slowly walking towards her lover, "Is it really you?" she received a nod. She smiled faintly, "Oh Sosuke!" she broke down into sobs as she was wrapped in his arms, "I thought you were dead….. I saw… I saw your body… How?" she looked up at him, "How are you here?" she gently touched her hand to his cheek. It was warm…

"I had to fake my death in order to accomplish something. I'm sorry I caused you so much sorrow Minako." she placed her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his chest.

"Don't apologize… Just hold me Sosuke… So much has happened… Rukia's death sentence is going to be carried out at noon tomorrow… I want to help, but Captain Ukitake has ordered me to stay here due to health." Sosuke raised an eyebrow. Is she not well?

"Then you should rest." he guided her to the bed and laid her down. He knelt down at the bedside her and kissed her forehead, "Sleep Mina." he purred. Her eyes grew heavy, and soon she was asleep.

THE NEXT DAY

Minako mewed as her eyes opened. She gasped softly and sat up. Did she dream that? She shook her head… of course it was a dream. Sosuke… was dead. Minako looked at the clock. Three in the afternoon? She remembered getting to bed around four… she couldn't sleep at all. Wait… It was three? She missed the execution! She threw off the covers and stood up, running to the window. She looked out up at Sogyoku Hill. Wait… where was the Sogyoku? What was with this spiritual pressure? It felt like Captain Kuchiki's, along with one that was unfamiliar to the lieutenant. But she also felt other captain's reatsu. She could feel the head captain's, and with it Captain Kyoraku's and Captain Ukitake's. Her eyes slightly widened. She felt Yoruichi Shihoin's reatsu! She was currently in battle with Captain Soi Fon, while other soul reapers were battling elsewhere. Then, here eyes widened. She could sense Rukia's reatsu as well! She was alive! Suddenly, Captain Kuchiki's reatsu disappeared, as well as the mystery reatsu she had felt only moments ago. Her wide eyes went back to the large hill as a tornado like wind blew up at the top. Then, a too familiar reatsu appeared with two others… No… it couldn't be… it was just a dream!

She turned and ran to her closet, throwing on a shihakusho and dashing out the door. She flashed stepped up to Sogyoku Hill, but stopped at the last step, watching her lover slice his zanpaku-to through an orange haired boy's waist. She gasped, putting her hands over her mouth. Renji was also on the ground covered in blood, and Rukia… Sosuke was holding Rukia by a collar looking choker. The brown haired man turned to the orange haired boy, "Oh sorry. I hadn't finished explaining things to you, had I?" he started walking towards the destroyed Sogyoku stand, when other soul reaper looking kids came running up. The boy, who's name was apparently Ichigo, told them to go away, when Captain Ichimaru stepped in front and blocked them with his reatsu. Sosuke continued, "Now Rukia Kuchiki." he said to the petrified girl, "After I found you in the World of the Living, do you know what the first thing I did was?" he has a wicked grin to his lips. Minako couldn't believe that this was Sosuke Aizen… it just couldn't be, "I went in, and eliminated the Central 46." Minako's eyes widened, "I imagine you heard a somewhat different story from Isane. She probably told you that Sosuke Aizen faked his death, and hid his whereabouts. Afterwards he slaughtered Central 46. But that's not how it happened at all." Rukia was literally being dragged behind him. Minako was still, to terrified to move, except to bring a palm to her flat belly, "I killed them as soon as I discovered you, and used my Kyoka Suigetsu on the entire central underground assembly hall. To simplify matters, I made it look as Central 46 was still alive, holding meetings. In order to do that, one of us remained in the underground assembly hall at all times." Minako shook her head. So that's why he faked his death… "Since then we have taken over the functions of Central 46, and we have been issuing all of their orders. To make sure of your arrest, I had those members of Squad Six take you in." Minako glanced at Renji, who was on the ground barely breathing, "To separate you from the humans, I ordered the return and destruction of your gigai. To evaporate your soul, and take the Hogyoku from inside you." the what? None o this was making sense to Minako, "I decided the simplest way was to have you executed with the Sogyoku." Rukia's amethyst eyes were wide with fright as she was dragged along behind him, "The only time we weren't inside the underground assembly hall, was the few hours surrounding the two captain's meetings. After that I pretended to die, and hid underground." the dust began to clear, "Because I knew your Ryoka friends might save you, I knew the execution might fail." he reached into his haori, "When a foreign object has been planted directly into a soul there are only two methods by which to remove it. You can use an intense thermal disruption, like the Sogyoku, which evaporates to soul around the object. Or some other method, which breaks down the soul's cohesion, and allows them to be separated. In the unlikely event the execution by Sogyoku failed, I needed to find that other method." he then took out a small tube, about the length of Minako's index finer, "Which brings us back to Central 46. You see the information I needed could only be found in the underground assembly hall's Dairai Shoukaido. I spent endless hours pouring over Kisuke Urahara's research. He was the one who developed the technique of implanting a foreign object into a soul." Sosuke pressed the end of the object, and it suddenly started misting about his hand, "And so, I reasoned that the answer to remove one, was also in his research." suddenly, about six green, speared pillars rose from the ground, "Yes, this is that method." Minako almost screamed when she watched Sosuke's hand plunge into Rukia's chest. It was a few seconds, before his hand retreated, leaving Rukia to drop to her knees on the ground, leaving a small round device in his hand, "How fascinating. I didn't expect it to be so small." the pillars disappeared, and his hand returned to normal, "The Hogyoku." the hole in Rukia's chest vanished, "Oh… and no permanent harm to the soul. What an astounding technique." he tucked the 'Hogyoku' into his haori, "It's too bad." he took Rukia by the collar again and lifted the exhausted girl into the air, "But I just don't have a use for you anymore." he held her out, "Kill her, Gin." Gin stopped sending out his reatsu, turning with that fox grin again.

"Well, if I must." he drew out his zanpaku-to, "Shoot to Kill, Shinso." his sword lengthened, blazing towards Rukia, until it stabbed into flesh… Captain Kuchiki's flesh. Minako couldn't take any more. With a turn of her heels she ran back down the stairs, a hand to her chest while tears snaked down her cheeks. When she reached the bottom, the ground began to shake. She looked up to see massive amounts of Menos Grande, with three beams of yellow light carrying not only her former lover, but the captain of Squad Nine and Squad Three. With a clenched jaw, she continued to run.

Captain Ukitake stepped forwards, looking up at Sosuke Aizen, the one who caused his lieutenant so much suffering, "You've joined with the Menos?" Sosuke just stared at the white haired man, "Why would you want to do that?" without missing a beat, the man replied.

"I need to keep reaching higher." Jushiro narrowed his brown eyes.

"Have you become that corrupt? Have you?" Sosuke continued to rise to the Menos.

"You are blinded by your self righteousness. From the beginning, no one has ever stood at the top. Neither you, nor me, nor the gods." he took off his glasses, slicking his hair back as the glasses turned to dust, "But soon, that unattainable vacancy at the top will be filled. From now on, I alone will stand at the top. Goodbye, soul reapers. And goodbye, Ryoka Boy. Even I have to admit that even for a human you were quite amusing." he turned back to Captain Ukitake, "And you'd better check on your lieutenant. You wouldn't want her to be harming herself now, would you?" Captain Ukitake's eyes widened, his hands curling into fists as the garganta closed. He swiftly turned and flash stepped towards Minako's home.

"Minako… if he's hurt you. I can't lose another lieutenant. Please be alright." he begged as he flash stepped faster, relief washing over him when he reached her home. He flung open the door, "Minako! Are you alright? Minako answer me!" he waited a few seconds.

"I'm in the kitchen…" he heard in s small reply. He walked into the said room, finding Minako at the table, leaning over with a hand on her forehead, "Why Captain Ukitake? Why did he do that?" brown eyes widened, "I got there when he almost killed that Ryoka Ichigo. I heard him talking about something being inside Rukia… I'm terrified of him…" she faintly smiled, "And to think… I thought he cared about me. I wondered why he had been wanting to be alone for the past month and a half… it was to pull this off. And now… now he's gone to the Menos…" her arms wrapped around her stomach, "I thought I had gone crazy last night. I thought I dreamt that he visited me. He looked so caring. He held me like he used to, smiled at me, and then put me to bed, kissing my forehead like he would do when I fell asleep in his office. Then I woke up and thought it as a dream, when he actually did visit me. I'm so stupid. Well, stupid enough to fall in love with a man who pretends to love you, fall pregnant by said man and then just have him leave! That's typical him!" she threw her arms in the air, "He always left before I woke up. He always left before I got a chance to tell him good morning. He was always gone…" she groaned, "Damn these hormone level changes… I keep getting angry…"she looked at her stunned captain, "What? You have seven brother's and sisters right? Surely you know what I'm talking about when it comes to pregnant women's hormones." Captain Ukitake chuckled.

"Yes, but I can hardly remember. That was well over a thousand years ago when my siblings were born. But it seems that my mind is getting a recap." Minako scowled.

"Oh ha ha." she said sarcastically, "But… how am I going to raise a baby and be a soul reaper? I never even thought of a baby. I have no one." Captain Ukitake's smiled faded, "My parents dies when I was twelve. Mom in the line of duty and dad was murdered for pocket change on the way home with dinner. I've been all alone here in this house since. I don't know how to raise a baby! I have no siblings, no relatives. It's just me." she leaned against the counter, looking away. Captain Ukitake went to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You could ask my sister. She's married and has a baby boy of her own. I'm sure she could give you some tips." Minako smiled, looking up at her captain.

"Really?" he nodded. She bit her bottom lips, hugging him tightly, "Oh thank you!" he put a hand on her hand.

"She would be delighted to have someone visit her. It isn't often that she finds another mother or mother-to-be around where we live. How about we go tomorrow?" Minako gazed at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Tomorrow?" he nodded.

"If you want. You need a distraction. And my family is a perfect way to get one." he saw the anxious look in her eyes, "Trust me. You'll enjoy yourself." she sighed.

"I guess I have no choice do I?" with a smile, she shrugged, "Why not? Let's do it."

*groans* I really, really hope this isn't going too fast. *sweat drops* I usually have a habit of doing that. But I have written a time line... thingy... to help me. *giggles* But I hoped you enjoyed this chapter none-the-less! I love the Ukitak family and just had to include his siblings. *hides devious smile* What? Nothing bad is going to happen! It's going to be... entertaining. ;) Please review!