Chapter 7: Broken Ties

The spirit king sat quietly in the shallow waters of the healing pool, his red-brown eyes focused on the troubled face of the unconscious shinigami who rested in his arms. His healing power glowed softly around Hajime's pale body, slowly erasing the signs of recent battle and leaving the porcelain flesh pristine and unblemished.

But I cannot erase the weight I feel upon his heart. Hajime, you saved thousands of lives by sealing the demon back in the cell. If it had gotten free of the valley, nothing could have stopped it from rampaging across the Seireitei, destroying everything and everyone within its path. Your actions were correct, given that your blade was not royal, and the royal family members with you did not know how to fight the demon properly. None of you had ever even seen one before. The only reason you even knew what you were facing was because of the stories I shared with you as you rested in my arms after we made love, back in our earliest days. There was no choice, Hajime. You fought honorably and well, as always. I chose correctly when I chose you…my Hajime…

Hajime stirred softly and sighed, then settled again in the king's strong arms. The king lifted him and carried him out of the pool, then laid him carefully on the grassy shore. He dried away the moisture, then dressed his lover in a white yukata and carried him to their bedroom. He set Hajime comfortably in bed, then leaned over to kiss him lightly on the forehead and then on the lips. Hajime stirred again and his lips moved, but no words formed. The king smiled sadly and squeezed Hajime's hand, then quietly left the room. He nodded to the guard on duty and motioned for Hajime's attendant to join him.

"Akio," he said softly, "You are to tend to Hajime. See that he is kept comfortable and that he eats to regain his strength. And inform me at once if you sense anything amiss."

"Yes, your majesty, of course," the youth answered, bowing and entering the bedroom.

The king's fingertips touched the door as it closed and his mind connected briefly with his sleeping lover's…long enough to know that Hajime still slept soundly, and to feel the heaviness of emotion surrounding his resting spirit.

You are strong, Hajime. Your heart has already proven how much it can withstand. Lie quietly now and do not despair. The time to raise your sword and to defend our loved ones will come again. And you will be there to take back what was lost.

"Father?"

The king turned and met Akemi's eyes in silence.

"Takeshi and Chisaki told me what happened," he said quietly, "I came to see how Hajime is doing."

"The healers were able to counteract the toxin in his system, and I was able to address his injuries by immersing him in the healing pool. He is resting, but you are welcome to sit with him."

He placed a hand on his son's arm as Akemi started to enter the room. His son stopped and looked up at him.

"He has not awakened yet," the king told him, "but I have sensed his distress over having been the hand that sealed Renji into the cell with the demon."

"But Renji and Byakuya's children said that Hajime tried to extract Renji, and only couldn't because he was caught in the explosion and thrown back. He shouldn't blame himself for that."

The king nodded.

"He should not," he agreed, "but sometimes the heart will not accept even a reasonable explanation. He feels that he failed Renji badly."

Akemi bit his lip softly.

"Father…I owe my life to Hajime. He placed me in the care the Abarai family unselfishly when he knew that he was likely to die and that the queen would not let me live a day longer than he did. He came back from death and was the hand that cut away the hollow that possessed me. And this time, he acted to save the thousands of lives in the Seireitei that were threatened if the demon had escaped. And in addition to all of that, my Renji has always put the lives and well being of his children first. Hajime was the only one of them who knew how to replace the seal on the dimensional cell. It is what Renji wanted…and Hajime's action protected the ones most important to Renji. My heart feels nothing but gratitude…and sympathy."

The king's hand rose and his fingertips touched his son's face.

"Akemi Abarai," he said softly, "You have a valiant heart…much like Hajime's. Go and sit with him. I think that your presence will do much to assist in his healing."

"Yes, Father," Akemi said bowing.

He watched as the king walked away, then took a steadying breath and entered the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Takeo sat quietly in the white-walled room in the royal infirmary, not even flinching as the healer gave him an injection, then straightened and nodded.

"That will take care of the toxin. But lie back and rest for a bit. You took more than a little damage."

Takeo nodded silently and leaned back against the pillows. He looked out the window and into the tranquil, blue sky and tried to fathom the chilling reality that Renji wasn't just a few halls away in his room or walking in the King's Gardens with Byakuya, but locked into a living nightmare…and all alone…except for Zabimaru and possibly Senbonzakura…if Byakuya's zanpakutou hadn't died from the shock of being torn away from his master.

"Takeo?"

He looked up and gave his younger sister a sad smile, not speaking as Chisaki and Takeshi sat down in chairs near his bed and sat, looking at him and not knowing where to begin.

"Did they give you the anti-toxin?" Takeshi asked finally, "They gave it to us as soon as they finished making it."

"Yeah," Takeo said, nodding and touching the injection site lightly.

"Good."

There was a long silence as the three tried to decide what to say next.

"Has Dad come back from the Seireitei yet?" asked Takeo.

"No," said Takeshi, shaking his head, "We haven't heard anything from the Seireitei yet. But he should be back soon."

"Yeah," agreed Takeo, "He had to check in with the head captain, and you know they will have had lots of questions for him. I just…I wish he would come back. I don't him being gone…not right now."

"He'll be back soon," Chisaki said bracingly, "and then we have explain to Akane and Akiko. They're…"

She broke off and sniffed softly.

"They are already wondering why Daddy Red has been gone so long. The attendants just keep saying that he's on a mission. But when Dad gets back…we have to make them understand."

"How do you explain to little kids like that, that you don't know when…or if he'll ever come back? How do you do that?"

"I don't know," admitted Takeshi, "but you remember how Renji told us when Byakuya was captured by Aizen."

"But we were older," said Chisaki, "Akane and Akiko are still just barely more than babies. They're so little…they won't understand."

"Byakuya is really good with kids," Takeo assured them, "He'll find a way to make them understand. I just…I wish he would come back. I mean…what if something…?"

"Nothing is going to happen to him," Takeshi said firmly, "He'll be here soon."

"Takeo?" said a boy's voice from the doorway.

The three turned their heads and watched as young Hajime joined them in the room. The boy walked across the room and climbed up onto Takeo's hospital bed. He looked down at his brother's bound hands and touched them gently with his fingers.

"Does it hurt anymore?" he asked, looking up at Takeo.

"No, not really," sighed the young man, shaking his head, "I'll be fine."

Takeo felt a twinge of guilt as it registered how tired his younger brother looked. He slipped an arm around Hajime and pulled him down so he rested on Takeo's lap, with his back rested against his older brother's chest.

"What did you do that for?" the boy asked, "I'm not tired."

"Liar," said Takeo, "You're exhausted. You had to heal big Hajime and then you had to help with me. You stay put or I'll tie you down."

The four fell silent again as Hajime turned and rested his head on Takeo's shoulder.

"When will Daddy Bya be back?" Hajime asked softly.

"We aren't sure," admitted Takeo, "but it should be soon."

"I want him to come back now," Hajime whispered, "I keep feeling afraid that something will happen to him."

"He'll be okay," Takeshi said bracingly, "and while we wait, we could tell some of the stories he told us before."

"I don't want to hear stories," Hajime sighed, his eyes blinking, "I want Daddy Bya."

Takeo exchanged glances with Takeshi and Chisaki and the twins stood.

"We'll go and see what's taking so long," Chisaki offered, "Hajime, you stay here with Takeo and make sure he eats and rests."

The smaller boy yawned and nodded against Takeo's shoulder as his siblings left the room. Takeo hugged Hajime and rested his chin on his brother's head.

"He'll be back soon, Hajime," he said reassuringly, "Don't worry."

Hajime smiled against his shoulder and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad at least you're here," he said quietly.

"I'm glad you're here too," Takeo said, squeezing him gently.

"That felt like a hug from Daddy Ren," Hajime said sleepily.

Takeo smiled down at Hajime as the younger boy's eyes closed and he drifted off.

"It's the hug that he would give you if he could be here," Takeo whispered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself looking up into Hanatarou's large, gentle eyes.

"Captain Kuchiki, you're awake," he said, sitting back and lifting his hands away from the noble, "I have finished restoring your reiatsu. I will go and find Captain Unohana."

"Arigato, Hanatarou," Byakuya said, nodding.

He looked out the window at the late afternoon sky and suddenly realized how much time must have passed. He sat up too quickly and dizziness passed over him, making him place a hand over his eyes and take several slow breaths.

I have to go back. The children are waiting…and…

The door opened and Captain Unohana walked in. She closed the door and sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"It is good to see you are awake," she said, smiling.

There was something in her expression that sent a chill through the noble.

"I feel much better now," he assured her, "But I do need to return to the spirit dimension. The children are there…and they need me."

"Of course they do," agreed the healer, "And I will release you soon. But before you go, we must talk about the results of the tests I conducted."

She paused and sighed softly.

"I wish that I could tell you that everything would be fine, but the truth is…that there are several anomalies that are affecting your health."

"And those are?" Byakuya asked, looking back at her.

"First…the shock of the severing of the soul bond has taken a heavy toll on your body. You just gave birth and hadn't fully recovered when the bond was broken."

"The king had to shatter the bond," Byakuya explained, "because when Renji was sealed into the dimensional cell, a paradox was created. My soul bonded no longer existed, but I was still here. I started to die."

"And severing the bond did slow your decline significantly," said the healer.

"But it did not stop it, ne?" Byakuya said quietly.

"No. It only delayed it, I am afraid."

Byakuya sighed and looked down at his hands.

"How long?" he asked softly, "or is that an unknown?"

"There is no way to know," Unohana said softly, "Your reiatsu will weaken and you will begin to fade. Because we have never encountered something of this nature, I cannot tell you how quickly or slowly the fading will progress. I have analyzed you from the time you arrived until now and made a general projection of five to ten years…if nothing changes and the process is not stopped. But even then, there is another factor to consider…the severing of Senbonzakura from your soul."

She paused for a moment, studying him thoughtfully.

"I understand why you did not reveal that in the captain's meeting and I will certainly keep it confidential. There would be no reason to reveal it…and if I did, you would have to forfeit your captain's position immediately. I assume that you want time to prepare Takeshi to succeed you?"

"Yes," replied the noble, "I would like to turn the squad and clan leadership over to my son as soon as he is eighteen."

Captain Unohana nodded.

"I can keep this in confidence until that point, but I will insist that you do not endanger your squad by remaining on active duty. I will give you a clearance for advisory and training only…no combat. I will report that this is due to progressive decline in your reiatsu and that the condition is under treatment."

"I understand," said Byakuya, "Rikichi is certainly well enough trained to lead the division and to assist me in preparing Takeshi…and he can take the squad into battle if it is required."

"Just realize that the severing of your bond with Senbonzakura may hasten your decline, limiting the amount of time you have. I will see you regularly while you are in the Seireitei and will consult with the healers in the spirit dimension to see to your treatment there. You will need reiatsu replenishment and stabilization periodically. Your son, Hajime, can also do these things and does not have to be informed as to the nature of your condition. But you must consider informing someone, Captain Kuchiki. Should you encounter a sudden increase in the severity of your symptoms…someone should know what to do."

"I cannot share this with the children now," the noble said, shaking his head, "They are having to come to terms with losing Renji. I do not want them afraid that I will leave them as well."

"But you could decline more quickly than I have projected," the healer objected, "There is no way to know for certain. Captain Kuchiki, may I suggest that as you will be in the presence of the king and his future consort, that you at least confide in them, as they will likely become the guardians of your children, should anything happen to you?"

Byakuya let out a soft breath.

"I will consider that," he said softly.

"Very well. I will have Isane go through your discharge instructions with you and then you may return to your children."

"Arigato, Captain Unohana," Byakuya said, lowering his eyes as she turned and left the room.

Byakuya looked out the window and watched the sky slowly fade from its lovely red and orange to a solemn black. Clouds covered the stars and he scented incoming rain.

I won't feel this now. I can't. I will be the person our children need, Renji. I will save my tears for when I find you again and will share them only with you, and only when they can be made over into tears of relief.

You have to come back, Renji…

If I should…

He stopped the thought forcefully.

You must come back soon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Chimpette lifted her quivering head off of Senbonzakura's chest and looked around them, noting that the reiatsu cage had failed and they had been revealed again.

Damn. I don't have any powers left to raise it again. And Senbonzakura has nothing left either…

"Sen?" she queried softly, touching the lovely samurai's fevered face.

The samurai stirred and mumbled unintelligibly. Chimpette's trembling hand reached over and wetted a cloth in the stream they lay next to. She gently washed Senbonzakura's face, then cooled her own. She crawled a short distance and did the same for the unconscious Snakey and started to wash Renji's face. As the cloth touched his skin, Renji's eyes opened and looked up into hers. Chimpette gave him a weak smile.

"Finally decided to join us, ne Renji?" she said in a shaky voice.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked in a rough whisper.

"Hell no," answered the baboon, "but I'm the only one left conscious, so there's not much choice about who has to do what. Can you move?"

Renji sat up slowly, then sat panting softly.

"How long was I out?" he asked, putting a hand on his head and closing his eyes.

"A week, give or take a day," said Chimpette, washing Snakey's face again and earning a soft groan, "We had to keep moving so that thing wouldn't kill us all and we had to take turns carrying your sorry ass, so we couldn't move very quickly."

Renji scowled at Chimpette, then looked around them.

"Nice place," he commented, then his eye fell on Senbonzakura's collapsed form, "Who the hell is that?"

He blinked and squinted at the lovely, pale face.

"N-not…Byakuya…" he murmured crawling closer.

"Senbonzakura," said Chimpette, nodding, "He was too sick to wear all of that heavy crap and he's unconscious so he can't yell at me about taking off the mask."

"But…Senbonzakura?" Renji went on, "Does that mean…B-byakuya's…here?"

Chimpette shook her head, wincing as a pain shot through it.

"Sen said that his connection with his master has been severed. He has been getting slowly weaker…even weaker than this fever should have made him. Renji, I think he's dying. I don't know what to do."

"And if Senbonzakura is fading, then…then Byakuya has got to be affected too!" said Renji, trying to climb to his feet, "We have to…"

His words disappeared into a guttural cry of pain and the redhead collapsed onto the grass. Chimpette shook her head and crawled to him, leaning over him as he tried to sit up, but couldn't lift himself.

"We tried to heal you," the baboon said softly, "but your back was broken and we were having to constantly move you. Maybe if we can get back, then…"

She trailed off as footsteps sounded on the stony path across the stream.

"Renji!" Chimpette hissed, "Renji, what are we going to do?"

Her heart froze as someone splashed down into the water and turned in their direction. He left the stream and stepped onto the shore, staring as he came abreast of the collapsed shinigami and the zanpakutou spirits.

"Who…?" Renji began, gazing up at the greenish skin, silvery hair and golden eyes of the odd looking youth.

"I am Kanaye," he said, looking around, "We need to move if we are going to escape the beast."

"Yeah," said Renji, "Well moving's going to be a bit of a problem because half our group is unconscious and the other half can't walk. So you can see how we might have some trouble with…"

He broke off as golden light rose around the young man and slowly enveloped their group.

"Hey…what're you doing?" objected Renji, trying to rise and falling back with another strangled cry.

"Be calm," Kanaye said, shaking his head, "Don't struggle."

"Why do I feel like this is a really bad thing?" asked Chimpette as the light became blinding and seemed to sink beneath their skin, "Oh shit…we are so screwed…"