Hello thinking.

Hello Hichigo

Hello Zangetsu

The Future and a Recapture…Somewhere in Seireitei…

Ichigo laughed at the beautiful pink cheeks on his daughter giggling as he pretended to throw her up in the air. Her orange curls fluttered around her ears and she squealed in delight. The happy sound of them both laughing carried through the garden.

"What a beautiful vision." Ichigo's heart leapt and caught Masaki in his arms turning to the voice he dreaded.

"Aizen."

"Ichigo." He held out a hand to him. "Come."

"No."

"No?" Aizen cocked his head to the side. "She is beautiful."

Ichigo was running before he could think.

"Going my way?" Grimmjow held the bleeding unmoving twins in his arms in front of Ichigo, behind him Isshin was on the floor in a pool of blood.

The Bargain…

"I want one thing then you can have your son. It's the only thing no one else can give me." He was on his knees desperate to save himself and his little girl. His baby that sat oblivious to the pain of her mother. Aizen's usual techniques of pain seemed to be working. His foot ground into the boy's hand. A bargain was his only tool to feel that he was at least fighting against what was happening to him. He had seen his sisters knocked out cold, his father's motionless body in the house, all dead for all he knew. What else did he have but to fight for his survival for the sake of his daughter? Right now, she was all he had. He was all she had.

"Name it." Aizen smiled admiring the tears that were streaming down his love's face.

"I want the Grand Fisher. I want to kill him." He could not have said anything more wonderful.

All things come to those who wait. As a reward Aizen removed his foot. "You think you can handle him?"

"I have met him twice before."

I know. I made it possible. He held out a hand towards Ichigo and the boy took it, letting Aizen pull him to his feet. "And yet you live…if I arrange it, what do I get? You know that I am busy running a war. I do not have time to trifle anymore with your petty self obsessed emotions."

The war had only began as a result of his appearance to claim back HIS Ichigo, but as it was planned that way, it was no hardship to loose the first of his subordinates; they had been getting a little big for their boots anyway. Now this little drama unfolding today, was also going to plan and Aizen watched as Ichigo gave a quick glance to the pretty child sitting quietly on the floor chewing her fingers.

"I'll have your son." The face gathered its resolution before it spoke. The face wore absolute but grim determination. He only had himself to rely on. What other options would he have? "Willingly?" Aizen raised an eyebrow. Ichigo inhaled deeply, gathering more reserves of his determination. A slight shimmer of pain passed as his broken bones creaked at the movement, but he leaned in and gave Aizen what he knew he would want, what he knew Aizen would take if he didn't give it sooner or later.

A kiss. Soft, lingering…almost believable.

"More than willingly." He forced himself to say. "To avenge my mother was the only thing left I wanted to do. You've taken everything else. Give me the Grand Fisher."

The last pieces of his plan with Ichigo was falling into place and he knew that the last would secure Ichigo as his. It would place Ichigo's heart securely where he wanted it.

"You share my bed, our bed." Ichigo nodded. "You give me more children." Ichigo nodded. "You call me Sosuke." Ichigo nodded. "You let me love you how I want to." Ichigo nodded.

"Yes Sosuke." Ichigo whispered.

Aizen nodded a dismissal to Grimmjow and the panther took his blade away from above the child's head. Ichigo, sighed a relieved sigh and scooped her up.

Months Later….

Ichigo spun around startled at the slap that lashed at his face without warning. He cautiously looked to Aizen, a hand covering his pink smarting cheek.

"Why are you not pregnant!"

"I don't know. I can't make it happen." Ichigo should have known better than to use that mocking tone.

"Don't talk to me like I am stupid!" He grabbed him by his hair and shook him forcefully before throwing him backwards. Ichigo stumbled back, his hip crashing into the desk and knocking the arrangement of pens and brushes across the floor. Ichigo bent quickly to pick them up and groaned as a foot crashed into his side, throwing him across the room.

"Daddeeee." A toddler Masaki cried from the doorway to her room.

"Why is she not in bed?" Aizen his voice laced with anger.

"I don't know; she was." Ichigo snapped back his scared face and quickly wiped his eyes as he stood. "Come on poppet. Quickly back to bed." He scooped her into his arms as she began to cry and quickly rushed her out of the main bedroom into her own. He placed her down in the cot stroking her head and felt the energy of Aizen enter the room. "Go to sleep sweetheart, everything is fine." He smiled at the child who sniffled and clenched the corner of her coverings.

"I told you I wanted her in bed before I return!"

"Please Sosuke not in here." Ichigo turned his back to the cot and stood between the angry man and his daughter. He didn't want her used again as an excuse to make him comply; just as he didn't want her to witness what happened to him. "She was in bed. She can get herself out now."

"Then make her stay there!" He slapped Ichigo again and Masaki screamed. "This is not good enough. If you can't control her, I will see that she causes no further trouble!" He jabbed a finger into Ichigo's chest and frowned at he noise she was making.

"Please Sosuke." Ichigo's voice was over wrought with worry. "You said… you wouldn't do this in here… I'm sorry." He kept moving his body to keep between the pair and taking the blows to his face.

"Your sorry isn't good enough! I also heard you left the room."

"Lunch didn't arrive again, she was hungry." He cried now, his face stung, there was the taste of blood in his mouth and he knew this wasn't going to be the last of it tonight. With Masaki crying behind him, he felt so torn leaving her to sob like that. Aizen raised his reiatsu around Ichigo and forced him to his knees. Ichigo wept as he watched helplessly as Masaki was hauled by one arm from her cot and delivered to Ulquiorra after Aizen called out his name. This had obviously been planned from the start. "No, Sosuke no! Please… Don't do this!" Ichigo frantically fought the pressure pinning him down but restrained with the bracelet he was too weak to fight it.

"You can have her back when you are pregnant." Came the deafening sentence as the presence around him lifted.

"You take her away from me and it'll be the last thing you do to me!" Ichigo screamed desperate to get to his feet and catch her before Ulquiorra had left the room.

He managed to run ahead to the door, barring the Espada's way. His hand had snatched up a tall tea cup that Aizen drank from. "She is not leaving this room." He said with conviction. The sad green eyes turned to see what his master's orders were.

"Don't be stupid Ichigo." Aizen did not look amused. Ichigo crashed the cup on the side of the wall and held a large shard to his lower abdomen.

"Is stupid making sure, I'm useless to you?" He said pressing the shard towards himself enough to make his skin bleed. If hurting himself was the only way to see that Masaki stayed, then he would do it. He'd risk his own life for her without a moment of hesitation.

Aizen wondered if the boy was that unhinged and he certainly did seem to be. Of course this was Ichigo, the boy who risked his life just for his friends. For his own child, he certainly would be serious. He stood there his own face bloody and tears of determination falling down his cheeks. His chest was hitching with the uncontrollable fear he was feeling.

By now the child was leaning forward, her arms outstretched for Ichigo and her sobs were hysterical. Aizen nodded to let him have her.

Ichigo closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her tightly. The broken cup already discarded onto the floor. He was quick to ignore his own distress and hold her stroking her fears away, singing softly to her and rocking his body slowly.

Aizen dismissed his loyal subordinate and walked towards Ichigo. He wrapped his own arms around him meeting the rocking motion for the child between them and pressed his lips into Ichigo's ear. "I'm sorry Ichigo. Forgive me I was being foolish." Tender hands stroked down the erratic hair and smoothed away the tears that had fallen. Ichigo sobbed and leant into the shoulder and accepted the words of comfort without doubt. He had to believe them, he had to trust that it was sincere. What else did he have?

Just Another Month or so, Just Another Day…

Ichigo sat with Masaki on his lap on the sofa, his legs along its length. The child had fallen asleep, the wound on her face still looked sore from where Aizen had used her yet again against him this morning. She had fallen asleep, crying in his arms as he'd sat there rocking her and he had now slumped low on the soft leathery daybed and let his head rest back. There was only one thing he felt right now – abused, mistreated, and despondent at Aizen's cruelty to them both. The never ending cycle was wearing him down bit by bit. He couldn't bare to even wake each morning.

The door to the room opened and he watched the same humble hollow come into the room as he did every day. Just a lowly hollow who managed to keep his life by doing the menial jobs. He fretted around picking up the items of clothing that were requiring cleaning and stuffing them onto his trolley. He had new bedding and he changed all the beds and cot just as he did yesterday and the day before that. He refreshed all the bathroom towels and cleaned it until it was spotless. Not once did the creature make a sound. He just did the chores. He survived. He'd come again tomorrow.

Ichigo adjusted his aching back, Aizen had not been gentle and he felt tender just about everywhere. He closed his eyes letting the smell of his daughters newly washed hair drift like a relaxant into his mind.

Why when he knew Aizen's tricks would he still fall for the same ones over and over? Why couldn't he just be like that hollow and just do what he had to do quietly and they'd both have an easier time of it. Couldn't he just control his impulsive anger for the sake of Masaki and just be a quiet subordinate?

Just give up Ichigo; no one is coming for you. No one is going to get you out of this. If you can't do it yourself, then you have to submit, give up ……………maybe you have to change tactics? …………. Aizen is never going to let you go and the only way to be free of him is if he is dead. Hah, who would possibly be able to kill him? They've all seen his sword and would fall under his illusions as soon as he looked at them… He's predicted and planned everything – even me and this pregnancy farce………………..had he predicated me falling for this love crap too? Probably or he'll make sure I do with some spell or illusion…………………….. Nah to fool him, you'd have to come up with something he'd never predict…………………God I hate him…I wish I hated him.

He tensed at the soft drift of a hand down the side of his face and opened his eyes.

"Did I wake you?" Aizen asked, sitting next to him.

"I wasn't asleep." Aizen looked at his blue bruised eye and regretted his force this morning. It isn't any wonder the boy tensed up all the time.

If he'd just stop being so bull headed about everything…Maybe if he isn't pregnant yet, I could use that treat I had been planning? That way he would comply as he had nothing else to fight for. He watched Ichigo carefully cradle the child in his arms as he scooted along the sofa away from him and stood. It hadn't gone unnoticed that he grimaced at his movement, stood painfully slowly and walked bracing himself towards the child's room. Aizen followed him.

"Let me heal you."

"I'm fine."

"You're not." Aizen just lightly touched the boy's side and he let out a groan of pain.

"Ichigo, your stubbornness won't heal you and if you want my gift, you're going to need to be in top condition."

"Gift? Is this going to be something for your benefit?" Ichigo didn't disguise the disgust in his voice.

"This is me keeping our bargain. If I fulfilled your criteria, you would comply willingly. I realise that your hesitation to bow to my charms may be that I have yet to fulfil all my promises to you. Stark has found the Grand Fisher."

"…" The boy really doesn't know his father killed that hollow an age ago?

"You see, like this you will not be a match for such a powerful Hollow."

"You'd let me fight?"

"Oh I'll do more than that…I'll even help you with your training. Everyday from now on, you and I could work on your skills. Everyday that you're not pregnant or caring for our son that is."

"This bracelet?" Ichigo held up his wrist and Aizen looked at the band of silver. His hand clasped around it and pulled it off.

"What bracelet?" Aizen smiled as Ichigo took it back into his hand and looked at the innocent piece of jewellery. "Can I heal you now?" Ichigo looked at the man and his warm brown eyes giving a hint of agreement with a tiny nod. The bracelet slid into Ichigo's pocket and let his now free hand grasp Aizen's.

"Give me the Grand Fisher and I'll try to learn my place." Aizen let out a laugh.

"This I would like to see Ichigo." His hand brushed the boy's cheek again and his finger slid into the hair on the back of his head pulling his face closer to meet Aizen's.

"I would like to see you submit, to obey…to love." He whispered before pressing his lips against Ichigo's strangely willing ones. Two can play with illusions.

Today's illusion was a dead hollow fighting a red headed boy in the training rooms.

"Wha da he think he's doing?" Gin readied his sword looking at the blank chocolate eyes.

"Fighting the Grand Fisher." Aizen informed him.

"And ya gana ta let me fight im?" Gin could barely contain his excitement.

"Just showing you my consideration Gin. So long as you stop when I say."

"Can I urt im?" He had a gleeful look in his eyes.

"Within reason." The warning tone replied after a brief kiss. "I still need him to produce a son."

Ichigo's mind was awash with victory as his tired eyes opened in bed a day later.

"Ohh shit." He held his side as he tried to sit.

"I didn't think they'd healed you very well after that fight." Aizen's voice was across the room somewhere behind him and Ichigo could hardly move to see.

"Masaki?"

"As you can see, she is very well." Surprise crept on Ichigo's face as Aizen stepped into his view, holding a contented and even smiling Masaki. She was tugging at his hair and patting his cheek as if they he was a kind warmly father figure. "She certainly is a beautiful child. Such lovely colouring." Aizen gently stroked the top of her head as he walked closer to the bed. "You see, your worries are unfounded Ichigo. I will give you everything in my powers." He placed the child onto Ichigo's chest and she squealed happily at Ichigo and placed a very wet kiss on his chin.

"Dad dad bye byes."

"And bright too it seems. I told her you were sleeping." Aizen pulled back the bed clothes to admire the now yellowing bruising and healing stab wounds. Gin had got a little carried away, but he'd been punished for that. The small child made her way to the edge of the bed and threw herself off feet first and went to wander off for her toys. Ichigo was more than surprised at how at ease she was left in her fathers care.

"Family is a strange thing I had never experienced before Ichigo. Now I can understand your worry at losing your father and sisters."

"Family?"

"Isn't that what we are? Family?" He made a wide gesture to encompass the playing red headed toddler and Ichigo looked to Aizen, his shocked expression conveying this was a new strange idea. Aizen's fingers lightly touched the inflamed wound on his side. "Family looks after each other, cares for each other… loves each other." Aizen threw his healing light over the wound he had deliberately left to heal naturally. This little illusion of family harmony certainly seemed to be creating the spark of confusion he hoped it would.

"I…"

"You wanted to be with your family Ichigo, you already are." The words were said softly and Ichigo closed his eyes, feeling the pain of remembering his father and sisters bodies as he was taken from the garden back to here. "Sussssssh……I'll always be here for you." Yet again Aizen comforted him.

Expecting Twins…

Ichigo wondered why they had seen no one today. He didn't like the idea of leaving the room, but Masaki was hungry and his stomach was rumbling too. With the news from Szayel he was expecting again this morning, he wasn't surprised. The sickness had been way worse than with Masaki and at first he'd just thought it was a stomach bug, but the way his nipples ached painfully and the fowl metallic taste in his mouth, he knew that he was. The idea of twins was strange, but then maybe that explained why he felt as sick as he did. So with most of his meals going down the toilet, he certainly felt that hunger now quite keenly.

"Ah which way? Which way?" He stood wondering at the end of the corridor, talking to himself really, but Masaki holding his hand pointed one way. "As good as any I guess." He agreed and they made their way down the faceless corridors.

"Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra spoke to his master as he sat viewing the screens.

"Erm?" He asked looking up as he watched Ichigo leave the room.

"You asked for me?"

"I did…" He went back to viewing the screen. "Tell me what happened to the fraccion (SP?) That was meant to be cleaning my rooms and feeding my family?"

"I found him dead in the residential corridors. I am unsure who killed him."

"Well Ichigo appears to be heading towards the throne room. Direct him where he wants to go and keep him there for me. I need to finish some things up before I deal with his lack of discipline."

Ulquiorra stepped out of the shadows causing Ichigo to flinch.

"Aizen-sama is not pleased with you." He stated in his saddened tone as usual.

"We are human, we need food." Ichigo scowled at the man. "Or did he want us to die of starvation in our rooms?"

"I will take you to the dining room." Ulquiorra turned and Ichigo stooped to pick up Masaki and placed her on his hip before following. He really didn't feel so good and this walk and blank bright white walls were giving him a headache. Masaki moaned and grumbled as her tummy whined.

As they arrived in the dining room, Ichigo wished that the floor would open up and swallow him as the room was crowded with baying and snarling hollows. He instinctively held Masaki tighter and stepped closer to Ulquiorra, dropping his head to avoid a drunken styled brawl just because he'd looked at someone.

"Sit." Ulquiorra took them to a clear table and Ichigo sat with Masaki on his lap. Her hungry cries were alerting a lot of attention and he jiggled her on his lap. The food arrived swiftly, it always did for the Espada ranks. Ichigo pushed a slice of bread into Masaki's hand and she settled quickly munching on the crust. Ichigo bit into the strange food, it never paid to think too much about what it was. It certainly was not food considered normal by his human standards.

Nell as usual was happy to great her favourite human.

"Witchigo!" She beamed and headed over.

"Hello Nell." She clutched his arm and rested her head against it. Ulquiorra looked disdainfully at them both.

"Wooze ungwee?" She prodded his food and he lifted something long and white off his plate and held it to offer it to her.

"Yeah." Masaki took it from his hand instead and bit with her new and only four front teeth into it.

"Perty Babbee." She said patting Masaki on the head. Ichigo didn't let many people touch his little girl, but Nell was one of the few. Each time she managed to squeeze unnoticed into his room, she would play happily with the child.

"You okay?"

"Cept meanie Gwimmjow kweeps being orrible." She pouted and as if on cue…

"Neliel Tu Oderschvank!" The sixth Espada spat entering the room. "What are you doing?"

"Ungwee." She said looking up at him with her wide eyes. Grimm growled and slapped her face, she fell back into Ichigo's chair and Ichigo with his quick reflexes picked her up and stood scowling at Grimm a child on each hip.

"Leave her alone!" Ichigo snapped at him.

"Going to make me?" He said only an inch from Ichigo's face. Their eyes wide and menacing.

"Aizen-Sama will not be pleased if his project is injured." Ulquiorra chimed in.

"He shouldn't even be in here!" Grimmjow turned his attention on the fourth jabbing his finger into Ichigo's chest...