Linake smiled as she looked back at Kenpachi climbing the zigzagging staircase back up to her perch on top of Sokyoku Hill. Like he'd promised her the other night, he was carrying a wooden fold up chair for her to use while looking through her telescope. The simple gesture showing her more of his kindness that seemed to be hidden under all of his rough edges. After Yumichika's interrogation and Kenpachi's reluctant acceptance of being dressed by his 3rd seat for their ceremony, the couple had eaten a light lunch before Kenpachi had pulled her back into their room for a well needed nap. The early morning emotional conversation seeming to have had its toll on both of them; they had slept a lot longer than planned and had woken up just in time to eat dinner with the squad. Linake had been more than surprised by Kenpachi showing interest in her hobby, telling her he wanted to come with her to see "what that telescope thing actually did."

"You can set the chair down here." Linake instructed him as the two of them made it to the top of the giant rock structure.

Kenpachi followed his woman over to the strange looking contraption she had brought back with her. Kenpachi smiled, remembering the excitement on her face when she'd lugged the box into his captain's quarters telling him how much of a "steal" it had been.

Kenpachi unfolded the wooden chair and placed it in front of the telescope that stood on a large tripod, it was still facing up towards the sky indicating that Kenpachi had been right about nobody coming up to mess with anything while she was away, her pen and notebook still laid on the ground next to the small blanket.

Linake took a seat in the chair and leaned forward looking through the eye of the contraption, seeming to test out the comfort of the chair.

"This is so much better!" Linake stated as she pulled back and looked up at him.

Kenpachi smirked as he walked around the chair and bent down picking up the notebook she had been using the previous night.

"How many more of these things are out there?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake half-laughed as she leaned forward into the telescope.

"Kind of hard for me to count, I've created a placement by starting with the first one I came across, from this location I'm seeing over thirty constellations of varying sizes, but there may be more. There are eighty-eight in the human world." Linake explained with a smile.

Kenpachi lifted his gaze and watched her as she leaned forward and squeezed her right eye shut, looking with just her left up at the sky.

"What made you want to study this anyway?" Kenpachi asked her.

Linake smiled before she leaned back in the chair and looked up at him.

"I always felt that when it came to the universe humans were rather small in comparison. From the time I was a little girl I always felt a connection to the sky. When I was younger I would climb up on the roof of the house and just watch, wondering what else was out there." Linake answered.

"You think there's life in other areas?" Kenpachi continued.

Linake shrugged her shoulder.

"It's a debated subject within the scientific community, I always thought it was rather arrogant to think humans were the only life." Linake admitted.

Kenpachi grinned.

"Guess it didn't come as much of a surprise to you when you were brought here then." Kenpachi replied.

Linake shook her head.

"No, not really. I had already considered the possibility of other dimensions existing; another thing that is highly debated in my world." Linake answered.

"I guess you can say I became a little obsessed. My decision to become an astronomer hadn't been a very popular one when it came to my family." Linake admitted.

Kenpachi's brow furrowed at the mention of her family, Linake had never talked about them to him in much detail before, reminding him that there was still a lot left unspoken between them.

"Something's been bugging me, woman…" Kenpachi started.

Linake turned her head, giving him her full attention.

"What?" She asked.

"You keep telling me you gave up your world for me; how much did you give up?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake sighed as she turned her head back to the telescope.

"Nothing really when I think about it, I've gained more than I lost." She admitted.

"What about this family of yours? Don't you want to see them again?" Kenpachi pressed.

Linake smiled as she met his gaze and lifted her hand to the side of his face.

"I hadn't seen my mom in almost ten years before I was brought here, I moved away from my family for my education, Kenpachi. I have a sister that I speak to every once in a while, but when it comes to my family, I'm afraid it's always been phone calls and e-mails. So, it's really not that big of a deal. As far as they know I'm living in another country and I started dating a soldier, which sounded like the best thing to tell them once I realized I could send e-mails from here with Rukia's help." Linake explained.

"What about your father?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"He e-mail's me every once in a while, he was never very supportive of my interests." Linake answered.

Kenpachi raised his brow at her admission, he didn't like hearing that his woman hadn't been supported and the more he heard about her so called family, the more he understood her hesitation and fear when it came to her powers.

" Tch, Asshole…" Kenpachi spat, not bothering to hide his opinion.

"Why this sudden interest in my human life anyway?" Linake asked.

Kenpachi sighed.

"Just don't want you to have any regrets, that's all." Kenpachi answered.

Linake laughed.

"It's too late for that, Kenpachi. I'm no longer just a simple human. I have too much knowledge for my world and not to mention my powers. Humans are not ready to see these types of advancements within our race and I would feel nothing but isolated if I ever went back to that world, and it doesn't have you." Linake countered.

"You'll always have me, woman. I was just thinkin' that if you wanted to see them again, I could have a Gigai made for me." Kenpachi stated.

Linake couldn't hold back her laughter at the thought of her family meeting the hardened squad 11 captain. Her family wouldn't know what to think of him.

"What's so funny?" Kenpachi countered with a scowl.

"Just trying to picture their reactions to me bringing you home." Linake admitted.

Kenpachi grinned as he leaned forward pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"You think I'd scare 'em?" Kenpachi asked her a little playfully against her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her into his hard body.

"You don't exactly look cuddly…" Linake answered.

Kenpachi chuckled.

"The offers there, woman." Kenpachi countered before capturing her lips for a kiss.

Linake kissed back allowing the man to hold her close to him, his thoughtfulness and concern tugging at her heart strings as she realized exactly what he was offering. Kenpachi wouldn't be comfortable trying to fit into the human world, he would stick out like a sore thumb and the first time some idiot decided to mouth off to Kenpachi it would turn into a giant mess rather quickly.

Kenpachi pulled back and smiled down at her as he cupped the side of her face.

Linake wondered if now would be the right time to bring up her own questions and she guessed her features gave her away when Kenpachi spoke.

"What's got you thinkin' so hard?"

Linake averted her gaze from him as she nibbled on her bottom lip nervously; she didn't understand why she was so scared to hear Kenpachi's answer, either he wanted kids or he didn't, it wouldn't change how much she loved him.

"Spit it out, woman. I hate it when you build shit up in your head." Kenpachi demanded as he tightened his arms around her, giving her a little shake.

"Do…Do you want a family?" Linake whispered.

Linake felt the tension in Kenpachi's body as he heard her question and at first she thought she may have upset him by asking, but she realized the tension was him pulling her tighter against his body. Kenpachi lowered his right hand spreading his palm against her lower abdomen.

"Just waiting for it to happen, woman." Kenpachi admitted.

"What if it doesn't?" Linake asked revealing her main fear; if Kenpachi wanted a child and it never happened would it cause a strain on their relationship?

"I'll be okay either way, no sense in worrying about it, Linake." Kenpachi sighed as he lowered his lips and pressed a kiss to her neck.

Linake closed her eyes allowing herself to breathe a little easier now that she had his answer, she wasn't sure how she and Kenpachi would match up biologically, with him being a soul reaper and her being human she had wondered if it were even possible to have children with him?

"Is it even possible for us?" Linake decided to ask.

Kenpachi lifted his head from her neck and laid his chin down on the top of her head as he held her to his chest lovingly.

"Don't see why not, you're in soul form here." Kenpachi answered.

"If you really wanna know, best bet is to ask Kurotsuchi." He continued.

Linake smiled at the mention of the mad man she had come to respect, if anyone could give her answers it would be Mayuri, hell, he would probably go to the lengths of offering his services if she and Kenpachi couldn't manage naturally. Linake shook her head at the thought of being subjected to such an evasive procedure.

"I'll talk to him after the ceremony then, wouldn't want to hear all the whispers about it before we're married." Linake replied.

"I'll leave it up to you, woman." Kenpachi answered.

"Feel better?" He asked.

Linake smiled as she brought her arms up around his ribcage and squeezed him tightly. If someone would have told her a year ago that her life would have taken such a massive turn she wouldn't have believed them, in a span of nine months her life had gone from introverted astronomy student to substitute soul reaper; a notion that still boggled her mind.

"Yes, I do." Linake answered.

"Good, now show me what this thing does." Kenpachi ordered as he pulled back from her.

Linake smiled before she let go of him and watched him grab the blanket from the ground next to him.

"Here, you sit in the chair." Linake offered as she accepted the blanket from him and stood up.

"I brought it up here for you." Kenpachi countered.

"I know and I thank you, but it will be easier for you to see if you sit comfortably." Linake replied.

Kenpachi stood up from his hunched position and took a seat on the chair making him eye level with her while she stood next to him.

"Lean down and take a look." Linake instructed him as she tossed the blanket over his head and shoulders.

Kenpachi listened, turning his head to the right angle he aligned his left eye with the scope and peered out at the magnified night sky. Kenpachi's lips parted as he saw the constellation above come into clear view and he understood why she said she'd always thought humans were "small" in comparison to the universe.

Kenpachi had one thought as he looked up at the sky, and knowing how the Quincy had managed to hide for so long in the outskirts of the soul society, he couldn't help but wonder—how many more enemies are lurking out there waiting to disturb the balance? And more importantly, how many of them would be strong enough to fight me?

"What do you think?" Linake asked as she lifted the blanket and peeked her head inside.

Kenpachi turned and met her gaze before he spoke.

"Makes me wonder what else is out there." Kenpachi answered honestly.

Linake's smile widened.

"Kind of puts things in a different perspective doesn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah…" Kenpachi replied before pulling the blanket from his head and leaning back in the chair.

Linake's smile faded slowly as she got a good look at him.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

Kenpachi turned his gaze and met her with a serious expression.

"You wouldn't try and stop me from fighting, would you?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake stilled, feeling a little taken aback by his comment. It told her exactly were his mind had wondered when looking out at the open sky.

"No…" she answered honestly before turning her attention back to the notebook on the ground, her expression most likely showing the shift in her mood. While she would never try and stop Kenpachi from fighting, she would never like the idea.

"Hey!" Kenpachi called to her as he grabbed her by the forearm.

Linake allowed him to pull her up against him even though she just wanted the topic to change to something less depressing—I don't know what I would do if he never came back from a fight…

"Battle is a part of me, Linake." Kenpachi pressed.

Linake nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Then why are you getting upset?" Kenpachi countered.

Linake lifted her head and met his gaze.

"Don't want to lose you." Linake answered simply, knowing that her honesty may chafe him a little.

"Tch. You think so little of me, woman? I fight to win, and now that I have you, it's gonna take a lot more to bring me down." Kenpachi retorted.

"I don't think little of you, Kenpachi. I know how strong you are and I know you'll always be a warrior, I would never ask you to change for me." Linake smiled softly.

Kenpachi grinned as he reached out and grabbed her by the chin.

"With you by my side, woman, I'll never lose!" Kenpachi stated before calming her mouth with his, pulling Linake into a tight embrace.


The sound of knocking outside the room jarred Linake as she pushed herself up from the futon inside Kenpachi's captain's quarters.

"Who is it?" Linake called out before Kenpachi was able to register what was going on.

"I'm sorry to disturb you and the Captain, but, you've just received something from the registry office." Linake heard Ikkaku's rough voice from the other side of the door.

"Just a minute!" Linake called out as she looked around the room for something to put on.

She and Kenpachi had spent almost all night up on top of her perch studying the sky together, after the conversation had turned from serious to light hearted Linake had found the time spent with Kenpachi rather relaxing as she had begun to teach him basic astronomy while the two of them joked about what to name the surrounding constellations.

Kenpachi let out a loud yawn as he pushed himself up from the futon and looked over at her. Linake had stood up giving him a nice view of her curves as she put on the first thing she had found on the floor, which just happened to be the top to his Shihakusho. Kenpachi grinned as he watched her wrap the baggy fabric around her frame, his top looking more like a dress on her.

Linake smiled over at him before she walked over to the door and slid it open just enough to see Ikkaku standing there patiently holding a large envelope. Ikkaku smiled before he handed the delivery over to her.

"The men are about to start lining up for drills, Captain." Ikkaku called out to the room.

"I'll be right out!" Kenpachi barked, feeling pretty groggy from his late night with his woman.

The two of them had stayed out till dawn, by the time they'd make it back to the barracks they'd been so tired the two of them had stripped down and fell into bed. Kenpachi turned his head noticing the time—they'd managed to get a good four hour nap in at least.

Linake slid the door shut after she watched Ikkaku head back down the steps and when she turned she saw Kenpachi standing by her side, his gaze on the envelop in her hand.

"That the marriage certification?" Kenpachi asked.

Linake smiled before she ripped the white envelop open and pulled a thicker piece of paper from the inside.

"Yes." She answered as she saw the bold printed lettering across the top of the vellum that read "Certificate of Marriage."

Under the bold print were both her and Kenpachi's names in smaller print with a signature line underneath. Linake looked up at him and noticed the smile on his face.

"You wanna sign now, or wait until after we have the ceremony?" Kenpachi asked.

"Now!" Linake grinned before walking over to Kenpachi's desk and laying the vellum down on the tabletop.

Kenpachi felt a wave of pure arousal shoot up his spine as he watched his woman search for a pen—in a matter of seconds, Linake will be my wife.

"Found one!" Linake called out as she walked back over to the desk, her long auburn hair hanging down both of her shoulders, the only thing keeping him from touching her body was the tucked top of his Shihakusho—she's always so beautiful…

Kenpachi moved behind her as she bent down and signed her name on the line. The woman didn't seem to have one inkling of hesitation about marrying him which filled him with a sense of honor. Linake didn't have to accept who he was so wholeheartedly, but because she loved him she was willing to support whatever he did, even if it meant watching him fight one day.

Linake stood to her full height looking up at him with a beaming smile as she handed him the pen. Kenpachi smirked at her before he leaned down and signed his own name next to hers—and just like that, I'm a married man.

Kenpachi sat the pen down on top of the certificate before reaching out for her and lifting her up into his arms. Linake wrapped her arms around his shoulders before pressing her lips against his with a newfound happiness. Kenpachi couldn't help the way his body was responding to the situation, all this talk about having kids didn't help matters.

Linake let out a surprised gasp when Kenpachi sat her down on the top of the desk next to the marriage license they has just signed, his kiss deepening as he pulled the top to his Shihakusho she wore open and ran his rough hand across her breast intending to make love to his wife.

Kenpachi stilled as he heard the sounds of footsteps outside his captains quarters and the sounds of many hushed baritone voices.

Linake pulled back from his kiss and smiled at him.

"Sounds like the men are lining up." Linake whispered.

Kenpachi let out a rough sigh as he realized the timing for what he wanted was off, he didn't want his men waiting outside listening as he took her.

"You better be ready for me tonight, Wife." Kenpachi replied as he rubbed his thumb across her lips.

"I'll be all yours." Linake answered.

Kenpachi forced himself to back away from his wife and concentrate on something other than her exposed curves, the way she looked sitting on top of the desk with his top framing her luscious body made him growl from deep in his chest. Linake averted her gaze from him as she pulled his top closed over her breasts hiding the temptation from him before she hopped down off the tabletop.

"You gotta stay behind, woman." Kenpachi rasped as he closed his eyes trying to reel in his arousal, it wasn't like him to wait when he wanted her.

Linake paused on her way into the bathroom and smiled up at him as she heard his demand. The thought of him thinking about her all day made the promise of what was to come later that much more exciting to her.

"Okay, I'll go visit with Rukia then, see if she figured out when she can take some time off." Linake stated before walking into the bathroom.

Linake heard the sounds of Kenpachi moving around the room rather quickly, she understood that for Kenpachi it was difficult not to take her right then and now, for a minute she thought he was just going to ignore the fact his men were all gathered outside waiting to hear that they had signed and to the laws of the soul society, were now husband and wife.

Kenpachi stomped over to his wardrobe pulling the door open, he jerked a clean Shihakusho from a metal hanger and quickly tossed it on. The faster he got out of the room the quicker he could start the training for the day. Kenpachi paused as he heard Linake step out from the bathroom and he turned to look at her. She had done him a favor by getting dressed behind a closed door, but even though she was wearing one of her own Shihakusho's she still looked to damn beautiful—and she's mine!

"Are you sure you want me to hang back today? I already missed out on yesterday." Linake asked him as she walked up in front of him.

She had pulled her long auburn hair back into a ponytail in order to keep it from getting in her face, something she normally did when she went out on the runs with the squad.

Kenpachi nodded.

"I'll just end up dragging you off somewhere else…" Kenpachi admitted.

Linake half-laughed thinking he looked rather cute, why he didn't just demand that Ikkaku take over for him was beyond her, but she wasn't about to give him any ideas; waiting was something new for Kenpachi, something she never thought she would ever see from him and Linake had a feeling the reward was going to be worth the wait.

Linake walked up to him just as he secured his haori on over his massive shoulders. Kenpachi looked down at her, his one visible eye giving away his current state of arousal.

"I love you." Linake whispered up to him.

Kenpachi leaned forward again picking her up and kissing her hard one more time before he had to let her go and tend to his squad; he'd already let too much slide over the past six months, he was a captain first and foremost and a husband later, that's how it had to be. Kenpachi bent down allowing her feet to touch the floor before he pulled back from her, the taste of her sweet lips taunting him.

"I love you too, Wife." Kenpachi smirked before turning away from her and pulling the door to his quarters open.

The minute the doors opened and Kenpachi walked outside Linake heard the roar of squad 11 men as they cheered and whistled for their captain. Kenpachi's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. The whole lot of them was gathered outside of his quarters, with Ikkaku and Yumichika standing proudly in the front of the pack.

Linake peeked her head out of the open doorway to see what the commotion was really about and she couldn't hold back her smile once she realized they were all cheering for her and Kenpachi.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" The men began to chant in unison encouraging the man they all respected to kiss his new bride.

"Tch. Come here, woman." Kenpachi demanded as he grabbed her by the waist.

"Might as well give these noisy bastards what their after." Kenpachi growled right before his mouth came crashing down over hers, his kiss deep and claiming, sending a jolt of arousal all the way down to Linake's toes.