Hiya! You guys are wonderful, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews, I'm really glad you all like this story. Also wanted to add that there is one other pairing I didn't mention earlier, and that most of the sub pairings are mostly in passing - they don't appear much, is Byakuya/Matsumoto. Don't ask why, but I just love the idea of them together - and imagine the little kiddies - they'd be gorgeous. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chappie too! More mystery for you. Enjoy! I don't own Bleach.
They were now all sitting quietly in her office, both him and Kuchiki on the opposite side of her desk. Kuchiki was holding the small child in her arms, gently swaying her from side to side so she could sleep better.
There was an array of blood tests, DNA tests and various other tests lain out before him on the desk. He had studied each of them with the critical eye of a man who's done many investigations in his life. Of the twenty-six tests, seventeen had been conducted by himself and each of them had come out on the exact same answer.
This child was his. This child shared both his and Kuchiki's DNA.
Kuchiki's records had been drawn from the Thirteenth Division. The Thirteenth Division was the only Division with a member trained as a qualified medic, which was from the Fourth Division, other Divisions had medics, but not as well trained as Ukitake's. Ukitake required his Division to go on a bi-monthly check up to ensure that none of them had somehow contracted his disease and thus no member of the Thirteenth Division's records would be found in the Fourth Division
"This is not possible." He murmured softly.
"Hitsugaya taichou…"
"I know what the tests say, Unohana." He interrupted her. "But we have to look at fact here. Kuchiki's record proves that for the last nine months she had been for a full check up every two weeks. She has not been pregnant, now or in the past." He said as he shoved the folder towards Unohana. "Another fact is that I've not seen this woman for almost eleven years now. This child is genetically ours, but I don't understand how she could've been conceived."
It's been almost ninety years since the Winter War. Between the time before the Inoue girl's disappearance – in which he had barely seen the woman beside him – and the last time he had seen her, he had not seen her at all. And the last time he had seen her he had barely spoken to her. She had delivered papers from Ukitake and then she had left after a brief chat with Matsumoto.
"I understand that Hitsugaya taichou, however the child still needs to be raised." Unohana said calmly. "We will obviously have to induct a thorough investigation as to how the child's existence came to be, but until such things have been cleared out with Yamamoto sotaichou, she needs a family."
There was a moment of silence.
His tired brain realized this was the part where the good and honorable Hitsugaya taichou should say he would do it, but he had bad news for anyone who thought he could raise a child. He was a genius, but child rearing was so far out of his league it was almost hilarious.
"I'll do it." He refused to admit surprise by the firm and steady tone of Kuchiki's voice. "There is more than enough space at my home to raise her and I am quite sure if the situation is explained to Nii-sama he will provide me with what I need."
A dangerous emotion rose in Hitsugaya's chest.
The idea of Kuchiki Byakuya raising anything that belonged to him, annoyed him. He wasn't sure what about it bothered him so much, but it did. And he didn't like it anymore than the idea of Kuchiki Byakuya having anything to do with the raising of his child. The woman beside him was perfectly fine, but just because Kuchiki Byakuya was married to his lieutenant did not mean he would let the man raise his child.
"No." He said shaking his head. "I will provide you with what you need. We can do this together."
He was going to regret those words.
