Hi there! Another soon update! I've put all my heart into this chapter. I reaaaaly hope you will like it!

So go ahead... and meet the little Byakuya!

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Dear Guradian Angel…

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Rukia strongly banned the door as she entered in Ichirou' room.

"Were were you at noon?"she hissed.

"At the Academy…" he replied untroubled as he was pretending to be concentrated on what seemed to be a note book.

Rukia cocked her eyebrows.

"Is that so?..." she asked with a low but menacing voice. "Because Ukitake has been visiting the Academy looking for new recruits and he asked for you but you weren't there…"

"It depends on the hour on which he came…maybe I've left before."

"You mean at noon?" she added coldly.

He immediately raised his head from the notebook with a worried expression.

"That's it!" she concluded annoyed and approached the corner of his room where a zanpakuto was leaning against the wall. "This will stay with me from now on!"

The boy got up from his seat with a scared and annoyed expression as his mother took his zanpakuto. He reached his hand to grab it but as the glare in his mother's eyes was horrific, he ended up baking off.

"I've had enough of your Rukongai escapes and hollow adventures! And now, with that bastard here to encourage you…I wonder what should I be expecting next!

"Don't call him a bastard!" the boy shouted.

Rukia gave him a bored glare.

"I will call him exactly what he is…and as long as he will act as irresponsible as a child… he is a bastard!"

" He is not a bastard! He is my…" the boy continued to shout as his mother's eyes widened.

"He is your… what?" Rukia cut in with a fake sugary voice. "Come on! Say it!" she raised her voice angered. "Say it out loud!… Especially when your father had recently died!"

As Byakuya's been mentioned the boy bowed his face and suddenly backed off.

"You're the heir of the Kuchiki clan… try to act responsible for once!" She added and left the room holding his zanpakuto.

As she exited the room, making her way to her study, an army of servants surrounded her.

"Take this and seize it in the zanpakuto's locker at the 13th Squad." She ordered to one of the servants as she handed him her son's zanpakuto. " Byakuya saved him once. He will not be here to save him twice!" she added.

"Ruki-sama…" another servant approached her. " The council wants to know your decision on the color of the invitations for the Hanami Party."

"White." She replied then she turned to another. " Where is Ichigo?...Please try to watch him close while he's with Ichirou."

"Rukia- sama…" another servant approached her. "This came for you this morning…It's from the real world…"

Rukia stopped for a second and turned to the servant who handed her an envelope. She took it and carefully looked at it.

"Rukia-sama… The Ryoing family had arrived" another servant said.

"Tell them that I'll join them in a few moments" she answered distracted as she continued to look at the envelope. She made her way out of that flock of servants, heading to Byakuya's ex study.

"Rukia-sama….Rukia-sama… Rukia-sama" the servants were calling her from behind, but she ignored them all.

For a second she sighed tired.

"It has been this way ever since you're gone, Byakuya… 3 months have passed since then… I wonder how you were handling it all back then" She whispered to herself.

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The moment he heard his mother furthering away along with her servants, Ichirou started to throw in his room with everything that felt in his hand. In less than 5 minutes the whole room seemed demolished. Infuriated and exhausted at the same time he let himself lean over the torn futon.

"I hate her!" he hissed.

"Who?" a voice suddenly asked.

The boy lifts his head and saw on the windowsill an orange haired man.

"Ichigo!" the boy happily exclaimed and as he got up a wide smile appeared on his face.

After the discussion he had with Rukia, Ichigo closed all his bank accounts. The next day he returned to Karakura and asked Urahara to open the gate to Soul Society. Ever since he's been close to the Kuchiki manor. Rukia was not the reason for it. He knew that she came back a few days later after he arrived in Seireitei, but even though they were so close they were avoiding themselves. After so many years of separation on which they ought to add the weight of their painful past… both of them found difficult to interact. The only reason for which he was here was…Ichirou.

"I've found some little hollows…They're good for training. What say you?" Ichigo asked cheerful. He looked again the same way he did in college, since his shinigami appearance remained young.

Ichirou, bowed his face.

"I…I can't…" he finally answered.

Ichigo looked at him confused.

"Did Rukia gave you again… Kuchiki stuff to do?" he asked slightly annoyed by that perspective.

"No!" the boy answered annoyed. "She took my zanpakuto… because I skipped the classes at the Academy."

"But you were with me! We were training!" Ichigo replied annoyed.

"I'm sure that's exactly why she did this! I hate her!"

Ichigo turned to the boy with wide eyes. Then a strange smile appeared on his mouth.

"No, you don't hate her…Trust, you could never hate her… because I also tried to hate her…and I couldn't…"

Ichirou looked at him with sadness. He noticed in the orange haired man a certain melancholy every time he mentioned his mother. For some reason the same melancholy took over him.

"Maybe you could talk to her and convince her to give me back my zanpakuto…" he finally said.

Ichigo looked at him incredulously.

"No… I don't think I could…" he replied.

Ichiirou made then a disappointed face. He knew why Ichigo feared so much to see her. He remembered so well the summer he spent with him and her in real world and he knew that those feelings couldn't have disappeared so easily. After a few moments of silence Ichigo suddenly said:

"Hey… you wanna to see grandpa?"

Ichirou's bad mood immediately disappeared.

"Com'on… I'm sure that old man it's eager to see you!" Ichigo added.

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Rukia locked herself in Byakuya's study and ripped the white envelope. She took out the letter she found inside and opened it:

"Dear Guardian Angel,

I ought to call you Kuchiki Rukia, but ever since you appeared out of nowhere and you comfort me with your words I'm thinking of you as my guardian angel. After our short meeting i had a terrible time. I don't seem to handle the separation from Shoji as well as I thought I would. During these three months I also thought of what you said about keeping the baby ( by the way you were right, I was pregnant!). As a matter a fact the baby it's the main reason for which I've decided to write to you. I've decided to keep it! Does it surprise you? Perhaps not… but for me this decision it's still a shock. Initially I wanted to get… rid of it… but then I found myself delaying to much the doctor's appointment until I understood that I didn't have the guts to do it. Last week I finally made the appointment. It wasn't for an abortion but for an ultrasounds session. I have my baby's first picture! … He might look like a sea monkey in this moment, but for me it's perfectly beautiful. I could say that I'm happy with the decision I made… except for the fact that I started to freak out…It's not happening all the time. During the day I work and I keep my mind busy, but when I get home and I'm all by myself I start to wonder how am I going to handle this. In moments like those I start to miss Shoji and my mother… I start to miss a word that could comfort me…

I guess… I'm a little lonely… and you understand best this feeling…of losing a beloved one.

Amaya

Ps: I also sent you a picture of the little baby. Isn't he just the most beautiful unborn baby?"

Rukia retook the envelope and found the picture. She smiled.

'Sea monkey, you say?' she told herself then she took an empty paper from a drawer putting herself at the desk.

"Rukia-sama… Rukia-sama" a voice from the hall was heard.

"Tell the Ryoings to wait!" she ordered while she took a pen…

"Dear Amaya,

If there is something that it's surprising me, it's the fact that you were still considering not having the baby after we had that conversation. I believe I told you from the beginning that you are a strong women and I'm sure that you will perfectly go through this. And don't worry, you're not alone. In short time I'll be with you… I wish I could have more time to write to you, but ever since I'm back, this household it's a mess and my son had became a trouble maker teenager. Sometimes it's quite hard to handle all by myself, but I can't let myself fall apart. My husband may not be here anymore family, but my children still need me so I can't afford to be weak. You should also think about your child in order to become stronger… in order to chase away the loneliness…

Your Guradian Angel,

Rukia Kuchiki

PS: It is, indeed, the most beautiful unborn child."

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One month later another letter came:

"Dear Guardian Angel,

I must confess you with surprise that you were right guessing the baby's gender! I will have a boy! I don't know if it shows through these lines but I'm so happy. You told me in your last letter that one of your children it's also a boy. I will need all the advices you can give me when it comes to be a mother!

Otherwise, I hope things had settled down in your household… As a matter a fact I would like to know more about it… and about your children too. Here, things had also chilled out a little. I guess that preparing to be a mother keeps me busy.

Amaya

PS: the due date it's the 31st of January."

After she read the letter, Rukia approached the calendar and put a red sign the next to the date of 31th December. With eyes wide opened she noticed that the due date was also Byakuya's birthday in Seireitei. In response, Rukia wrote:

"Dear Amaya,

It's not that I guessed the baby's gender. I just knew it, because guardian angels know a lot of things!

I'm surprised that you want to know more about my family. I don't believe it's a lot to say…In this moment I'm just struggling to gain the respect of the family members. After my husband's death I remained the head of the clan. Not being a pureblood noble and also not being a man, it's difficult to maintain the authority. It may sound strange to you but that's how noble families are running. It's all about gaining the control by making the others understand that you are their leader.

Otherwise I'm trying to remain a good mother. With the girl, Haruna it's easy because she's like an angel, beautiful and good. She looks a lot like her father as they both share the same grey eyes, an emblem of my family. With the boy, Ichirou it's a little difficult because he won't listen to anybody and the notions of respect and rule are strangers for him. He spends a lot of time with a friend of mine… and he seems to be happy with him…so happy that he started to prefer him instead of me. I guess I could live with that if only… this friend of mine wouldn't have been so similar to my son and if he wouldn't have encouraged his irresponsible behavior. He's so annoying… this… this… Ichigo.

Please take care of yourself and write to me as soon as you can!

Your Guardian Angel,

Rukia Kuchiki"

A month later the answer came:

"Dear Guardian Angel,

You seem to be part of a quite important family. I won't ask any further details because then the world in which you're leaving would seem to be pulled out of a… fairy tale.

Here things had been slowly evolving. I have quite a big tummy now and the little boy started to kick. He's quite strong! There is just one thing that's worrying me… Lately I have lost my appetite for food replacing it with a hunger for all sort of fruits and liquids: water… milk… juice…even wine. The doctor says that the baby's healthy but do you thing something might be wrong?

Amaya

PS: I just wanted to add that this… Ichigo… doesn't sound like a bad person to me…after all he spends his time making your son happy."

In response, Rukia wrote.

"Dear Amaya,

Do not worry about you not having appetite. This eagerness for liquids… I also had it during my pregnancy with Haruna. Back then I used to drink milk all day … and my baby turned out to be perfectly healthy. So once again, don't worry! But if you want an advice from me, don't try to mix the fruits with the milk.

Otherwise I was wondering. Have you given to your family the big news? How about Shoji, the child's father? Have you been keeping in touch with him? Does he know?...

Write me back soon,

PS: No, Ichigo it's not a bad person… actually he…he… he is a good friend."

As usual, the next month the reply came:

"Dear Guardian Angel,

Why does it sound to me that this Ichigo it's not only a good friend? Why does your voice sound sad in my mind every time you mention his name?

Otherwise my baby and I are very well. We are kind of exited because my mother will visit us next week.

Amaya.

PS: I've been keeping in touch with Shoji on skype but… no, I haven't told him."

Right after she read the short letter, Rukia's eyes widened. In reply, she wrote:

"Dear Amaya,

I don't really know what 'Skype' means but I know that Shoji must know the truth. A pregnancy it's not something you can hide forever. Furthermore, isn't he the one who wants to marry you when he gets back?...You said when me met that he was gone for two years only. By now, one year has almost passed…After the baby it's born, you'll see how quickly will pass the second one… and before you would know, Shoji will be back to you. Trust me and confess him! I'm sure that if he loves you, he will be happy about it.

Your Guardian Angel,

Rukia Kuchiki.

Ps: I guess my voice was sad… because after my husband, Ichigo is the second person… it hurts so much to think about….I shouldn't have said that! Could you ignore this lasts words?"

After a pause of 2 months, the next letter arrived:

"Dear Guardian Angel,

I've told him… "

In response, Rukia simply asked:

"And?..."

A week later Amaya wrote to her:

"…He said he will try to be here by the time the baby will be born…"

After she read the short message, she looked at the calendar: 30th of January. Rukia looked thoughtfully at the garden that was beautifully covered in snow. Usually, during this period while the servants were preparing the New Year's Eve party… she was thinking of a present for her Byakuya. She was always celebrating his birthday on 30th instead of 31st of January. Both of them were retiring in their room having their own private party while on the halls the servants were making a lot of noise with the preparations. She liked being in his arms during those days of winter… He made her feel warm. The last year, during his last birthday he told her: "I so happy…"

The stomach ached her as she remembered that night. She turned and left the room.

"Haruna! Haruna!" she called.

When that mini replica of Byakuya appeared, she smiled and kissed her forehead.

"This year I won't be at the New Year's Eve Party… Please take care of your brother…" she whispered.

Haruna's face filled with sadness as she watched her mother furthering away.

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In her neat and bright apartment, during the 31st of January, at 2. 28 pm, Amaya was circling nervously the living room.

'Didn't he said that he will be here in the morning?... Why is he taking him so long?...Did he got cold feet?... If he's not going to be here, who will drive me to the hospital? Besides It's New Year's Eve … How will I find a cab? She kept talking to herself.

Suddenly the door bell rang. She startled. She approached the door full of excitement and before she could open it, she looked once again in the mirror, fixing her hair. She took a deep breath and opened the door:

"Contratulatioooooons!" a choir suddenly sang.

Amaya backed off scared, as she saw three scary men dressed in black kimonos. Then her gazes descended and she saw in front of them a little brunette woman.

"Rukia…Kuchiki?" Amaya asked half confused, half surprised.

"Who else?" Rukia answered puzzled as she made sign to the three men dressed in kimonos to enter the apartment. Each of them entered carrying a huge amount of big boxes, shopping bags, toys, plushies, diapers, milk, food, clothes…and everything else that could have been related to newborn babies.

Amaya backed off, overtaken by the scene: in one minute her living room was filled with presents for her child. After she slowly came to her senses a wide smile appeared on her mouth and she approached Rukia, who was trying along with the others to arrange the presents.

"Rukia…I'm so happy you came!" she exclaimed and took her in her arms.

Shocked and unused with such friendly reactions Rukia stood still and replied with a tangled smile.

"Thank you for the presents! Oh my! They're so many!...And so expensive! She said as she enthusiastically looked through the bags.

"It's.. Nothing" Rukia replied. "And you shouldn't make such a fuss about me being here… I told you that I was coming haven't i? "

Amaya turned to her.

"Well I thought… you weren't serious…" she replied with a guilty look as she grabbed in her arms and enormous plushy chappy. "I love this one!"

Rukia looked around and when she decided that everything she had bought was brought inside she turned to the 3 men:

"You'll go home now! No stopping at the supermarket or at the mall! I'll have Haruna telling me if you'll do such a thing! Now go!" she ordered.

The moment they were gone Rukia turned to Amaya who was still playing with the plushies.

"So… when are you suppose to be at the hospital?"

"An hour ago?.." Amaya replied with a guilty look.

Rukia's eyes widened.

"And what are you standing there for? Get up! Let's go!" she shouted and grabbed her hand.

"No! Wait!" Amaya riposted. "Shoji hasn't arrived yet!"

"Who the hell cares about Shoji know? she scolded her as she was pulling her to the opened entrance door.

"Weren't you saying that Shoji it's important?

"You can't have your baby here!" Rukia shouted.

"But Shoji…" Amaya mumbled with a crying voice.

"Amaya?..." a third voice was heard.

Both women turned their eyes to the door. A tall man with brown hair and blue eyes was standing in the threshold, holding a heavy luggage and a big bouquet of flowers.

"Shoji!" Amaya hissed as she started to shiver.

"Shoji ?!" Rukia repeated surprised.

But then the three of them remained mute for a second as the carpet underneath them became wet.

"My water broke…" Amaya whispered with a blank expression.

"Her water just broke!" Rukia shouted half scared, half excited.

"On my God!" Shoji shouted shocked.

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An hour later in the maternity, on the surgery room, 6 persons were trying to work in. Amaya was on the table. A nurse was holding her head and Shoji was holding her hand while his face was completely transfigured by fear and excitement. On the other side, two doctors here helping the delivery while Rukia was trying to slip between them.

"You're doing great!" the nurse said, but Amaya had a puppy face ready to burst in tears.

"Just try to push!" one of the doctor said annoyed as he was trying to convince her to do this for half an hour now.

"It hurts!" Amaya cried like a child.

"Just try to listen to the doctor, love" Shoji said with a trembling voice.

"What do you know? Come and push in my place if you want!"

"Just push for god's sake!" the doctor shouted.

Rukia growled annoyed and push away the doctor.

" You don't know how to do it!" she said annoyed. "You know nothing about delivery!"

The doctor's eyes widened.

"I bed your pardon? I've helped the delivering of hundreds of children!"

"Yeah, but have you actually delivered one?"

The doctor's eyes widened again.

"That's what I thought! I've delivered two…so make room!" then she turned to Amaya. "Come on take a deep breath and try to push!" she told her with a motherly voice.

"It hurts!"

"It might…But right after you get the baby out you'll forget about this pain! So you'd better make this quick so the pain will last less!

Amaya look at her distrustfully.

"Come on…take a deep breath and pu…." Rukia said.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aa!" Amaya yelled as she was pushing.

"Good! Great!" Rukia said pleased. Once again!"

"Nooo!" Amaya cried. "Nooo! Because I'll feel like I need to go the toilet!

"Now?!" Shoji asked scared.

"We'll stay here until the morning!" the doctor said bored.

"If you feel that need of going to the toilet it's actually a good thing…" Rukia answered to Amaya.

"What?!" Amaya said. "That's so gross!"

"No… it's not gross, it's just giving birth! Rukia said amused. Come on, push!

"Thaaat's soooo groooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooss! Amaya yelled as he was pushing.

"Ok, it's gross but keep pushing!" Rukia said.

"Groooooooooooooooooooooss!"

"I can see the head!" Rukia shouted. "Push!"

" Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaahhaaa!"

"Once again!" Rukia shouted.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrah hhhhhhhh!" Amaya yelled again but as she remained speechless, she took a deep breath and pressed her head on the table.

The same moment a strong crying filled the room. Holding a little wet and messy child Rukia stood in her feet.

"Look," she said turning to Amaya. "It's Byakuya…"

Shoji turned to his woman.

"Byakuya?" he asked surprised.

"It's the name of a noble leader…" Amaya answered as she looked at Rukia holding her son, Byakuya.

Rukia then turned her eyes to the tiny and nosy child, her chin trembling as if she was going to burst in tears.

"It seems Byakuya that I've been with you since the very beginning!" she told herself.

Then the nurse came and took the baby from Rukia's arms.

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Lately I've started to hear a voice… It's sweet and pleasant. Every time I hear that voice I can distinguish clearly "mommy". I guess that I will call the voice "Mommy". I guess I like Mommy.

I also like the place I'm staying. It's warm…and safe… and I can get whatever I want. It's enough only to wish to have something sweet and I get it. It's enough only to think that I'm thirsty and I get something to drink. I like drinks a lot.

I'm happy as I am… but lately I've become so big that I don't fit in this place anymore. Lately I've changed a lot. I looked at my hands and saw that fingers had grown on them… 1…2…3…4…5… I have 10 of them. Then I looked closely. There's another finger under my tommy… I wonder how can I used it.

Anyway… it became too crowded here. I must get out!...

I rolled a few times trying to find a way out and then I heard Mommy screaming. There are other voices outside…Mmm…I'm curious… I must get out and meet them!

I must get out! I must get out! I must get ooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuut!...

Aaaaaaaaaaah! No! No! No! …I want back in!... I'm cold!... And the light is blinding me!

I wahahahant baaack! I wahahahant baaaack!

What?...

What it's this?... There's something keeping me warm. I like it!… I could get used to that! But what is it?

I opened my eyes and saw i it. It was very beautiful. And it was looking at me…

Were those eyes? Was that violet?...

… Is she Mommy?...