"Oh, stop worrying, Ichigo! This isn't half as risky as it is in the living world! Besides, my third daughter is far too tough to be beaten by something like this!" Isshin Kurosaki slapped his son on the back and then turning to his Lieutenant. "Isane, come out and get us when it is time, I need to have a word with my idiot boy!"
"Yes, Captain Kurosaki." The tall, silver haired woman began directing the healers as Isshin dragged the orange haired hero out of the room.
"What are you doing?! I need to be in there with her!" Ichigo tried to pull away, but he found his father's grip stronger than he had expected. "What's wrong?"
"I was terrified when you were born, Ichigo. I was a Shinigami in a gigai. Your mother was a living human with Quincy blood and a chained inner hollow. And to tell you the truth, I only knew about the potential horrors of child birth gone wrong from books and movies. I was a clinic doctor, so it was something I always referred to Ryuken. When it came time for her to have you, I was so scared I was going to lose you both that I couldn't be in the room with her." Isshin kicked the ground as he looked up at the sky. "I was more mad at myself than she was."
"What about when Karin and Yuzu were born?" Ichigo had stopped struggling and was now standing side by side with his father.
"I made myself stay by her side every minute. She nearly broke my hand holding on so tight, but the doctors knew what they were doing. Everything went smoothly. That's not to say it wasn't one of the most stressful days of my life, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Being able to see her face light up when the baby is placed in her arms and all the pain suddenly becomes worth it is something you will treasure for the rest of your life."
"I'm scared, Dad." Ichigo laughed for a moment. "Jeez, people are going to think we're related."
"What a tragedy that would be!" Isshin grinned and shook his head. "Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be fine. You are going to be a father when you go to bed tonight. That is something you aren't prepared for, and never will be. And it is not something that you will ever stop being. No matter what happens. Once you hold that child for the first time, they will never leave your heart. You want to be able to say you kept your head and your lunch today."
"You do give some good advice from time to time."
"Damn right I do. Now get in there. She'll be back on her feet in minutes with my healers on the job. You won't get away without an ass kicking if you miss it!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going! Hands off, Goat Chin!" Ichigo brushed off the guiding hand with a cocky grin. "Thanks, Dad. I needed that."
"Anytime."
"Ichigo! Get in here now!" Rukia's voice signalled the end to their talk, drawing Ichigo through the door in a buzz of Sonido.
"I'm here, Rukia." Ichigo knelt by the bed, holding her hand and giving her a reassuring smile. He closed his eyes in irritation for a moment, then opened them and sighed. "So is Zangetsu. He says he wouldn't miss the birth of the Prince or Princess for anything."
"Good. Shirayuki would have been pissed if he had slept through this." Rukia gave a weak smile and then winced. "Next time it is your turn..."
"I'd say sure, but I'm afraid the Twelfth would find a way to make me regret it."
"I'm gonna have a word with them about that..."
"Every guy who's ever lived will want your head."
"And every woman who's ever given birth will die to protect me..."
"Fair point." Ichigo looked up at the silver haired Lieutenant. "Hey, Isane, is everything alright?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, it's going very well. I would say less than an hour. Don't worry, I've done this before a couple of times. Captain Unohana made sure I had experience in a bit of everything before she made me Lieutenant."
An hour later, Ichigo's son was sleeping calmly in his mother's arms. As Isshin had promised, the healers had her on her feet in minutes.
"He's beautiful..." Rukia traced the baby's fingers and ears gently, careful not to wake him. "Ichigo... I think it is time we ask."
"Yeah... Let's go." Ichigo lifted the child gently from her arms and took off at a leisurely flash step toward the Rukongai.
They arrived at a large and flashy building that they knew well, although they had never been to this particular one. They didn't make it to the door before it opened in front of them.
"I thought I might be seeing the two of you today. Come on in! Stay for a drink!" Kukakku waved to her cousin and his wife.
"We can't stay, but we needed to speak to you... We wanted to ask for your permission and blessing to name our son after your brother, Kaien." Rukia bowed her head to the woman and received a sharp smack to the back of the head for her trouble.
"Of course. Kaien Kurosaki. That boy's going to be a handful, I can tell already." The one armed woman laughed.
"Where's Ganju? We wanted him to know about this from the start too." Ichigo looked around.
"The idiot is on his way to the Fourth Division to suggest that you name him Kaien!"