Chapter 9

With a sickening sucking sound the Hollow pulled its tail free, sneering at the orange-head. Toshiro watched in horror as Ichigo coughed, blood spilling from his lips, and then fell.

The captain carefully gathered Ichigo into his arms, panic on his face. "Ichigo! Ichigo, look at me!"

Ichigo's chocolate eyes were dazed and dull, barely focusing on Toshiro, his body shaking. "T-Toshiro… Are you… okay?"

"Yea, yea I'm fine." Toshiro forced out. "Why did you… Why?"

A soft chuckle turned into body-shaking coughs, blood pouring from Ichigo's lips. "You should know… y-yuki hime… I love y-you… Couldn't let…"

His eyes rolled, and Toshiro frantically held his face, screaming his name. "No! Look at me! Ichigo! Stay with me! ICHIGO!"

Ichigo's body convulsed and he threw up blood, his eyelids fluttering. "T-Toshi…"

Toshiro shook him, tears gathering in his eyes. "Stay with me! Don't go to sleep!"

A shaking hand raised, blood-stained fingers just touching Toshiro's cheek, leaving a streak of blood. "Y-You're… so b-beautiful… Toshi… even when you c-cry…"

Tears were now flowing down Toshiro's cheeks, dripping onto Ichigo's face. He choked on his tears, tears that hadn't been shed since he was a small child, trying to keep Ichigo awake. "Don't leave me… Don't leave our babies…"

Ichigo threw up blood again, and then smiled faintly. "Love you… yuki hime…"

"No…" Toshiro whispered as Ichigo's eyes fluttered shut, his body going limp. "No! NO! Ichigo! Ichigo, look at me! Open your eyes! ICHIGO!"

"Hitsugaya-taichou!"

The captain looked up into red-brown eyes; Renji. He opened his mouth to say something, but only a choked sob escaped him.

Renji knelt, lifting Ichigo and standing. "Hurry, we have to get him to Unohana-taichou."

Toshiro pushed himself to his feet, moving after Renji as fast as he could. They ran through the gate, Toshiro panting sharply, an arm curled around his stomach.

As they exploded into the Soul Society Renji called for help, Ichigo's blood forming a pool at his feet. Toshiro remained standing for a moment, and then his knees buckled and he hit the ground on his side.

Toshiro heard screams around him, but they sounded far away. Darkness closed in around him, his eyes sliding closed.

I'm… so cold…


"Toshiro…"

I felt cold. That was odd; my power over ice and snow made me immune to low temperatures. It was dark, and I felt as though I was floating… Floating in blackness…

"Toshiro…"

Who… Who was calling me? I knew that voice…

Ichigo?

No…

I remembered the attack… the Adjuchas stabbing Ichigo… His blood coating my hands, his chocolate eyes growing dim, the life leaving him…

Was my lover dead? Was I left alone to raise our babies without the man that I felt was my soulmate?

I felt panic clawing at my heart, and I struggled to come back to awareness.

"Toshiro, wake up…"

Who was that?

I finally managed to pry my eyes open, meeting red orbs. Ah… Hyourinmaru…

The dragon's eyes were serious and worried as he looked into my eyes. "Finally, little one… I was beginning to worry."

I blinked. "What do you mean, Hyourinmaru?"

"You need to wake up. People are beginning to fear for your safety, as well as that of your children." Hyourinmaru said firmly, pushing at me with his icy snout.

"Go back, little master… go back…"


"Come back…"

"Please, taichou, come back…"

A soft groan pierced the air, causing Matsumoto to look up from her folded arms. She nearly cried in relief as Toshiro's blue-green eyes flickered open.

"Taichou!"

Toshiro turned his head to meet her eyes, breathing deep. "Matsumoto?"

The woman held a hand to her heart, blinking back her tears. "Thank god, taichou… I was so worried about you, you wouldn't wake up…"

Toshiro blinked. "What? How long have I been out? What happened?"

Matsumoto held up a hand. "Slow down, taichou. You've been out for two days. The stress of going through the gate and the shock of what happened to Kurosaki-kun made you faint. Unohana-taichou was worried that the fall had hurt the twins, but they're fine."

The tiny captain set a hand on his stomach as the twins shifted within him, breathing in relief that they were unharmed. He suddenly gasped. "Ichigo! Where is Ichigo?.!"

A hand settled gently on his shoulder, Matsumoto shushing her captain. "Easy, taichou, he's just fine. Renji got him here just in time. Unohana-taichou was able to stabilize him not long after he came in and he's well on his way to recovery."

Toshiro breathed deep, leaning forward to put his face in his hands. Matsumoto blinked in shock when his shoulders shook; she knew that movement.

"Taichou?.!"

He rubbed frantically at his face, but the tears kept coming. "I-I'm fine… I'm okay…"

Matsumoto's face softened and she reached out, pulling her small captain into her arms. Toshiro surprisingly didn't struggle, only lay his face against her shoulder and allowed the tears to flow.

The fukutaichou hummed softly as she stroked his soft white hair, trying to sooth him. "Easy taichou, it's okay. He's okay, you're okay, the babies are fine. Everything is going to be fine."

Toshiro's back finally stopped heaving with silent sobs and he moved away from the buxom woman. He smiled slightly. "Thank you, Matsumoto. I don't know what I was thinking."

She rolled her eyes. "It's okay to cry every now and then, taichou. Especially with your emotions running so wild. You're just fine." She grinned. "Besides, those were relief tears, they were good ones."

"Do you think I could see him?" Toshiro asked softly, glancing at the door.

Matsumoto shrugged. "I could ask Unohana-taichou what she thinks." She stood, going to the door, which slid open as she reached it, revealing the gentle woman.

"Hitsugaya-kun, it's wonderful to see you awake. How are you feeling?" Unohana asked, walking forward and sitting beside the boy captain.

He smiled at her. "Just fine, Unohana-taichou. I just want to see Ichigo."

"I think that could be arranged, Hitsugaya-kun, let's just see how these babies are doing." With that the woman helped him out of the top of his yukata, exposing his swollen stomach.

Matsumoto's eyes grew wide as the image flickered on the screen and the tiny forms came into sight, the sound of their hearts echoing in the room.

"Wow taichou…"

Toshiro smiled, but looked to Unohana as the woman removed her hands. "Everything looks good Hitsugaya-kun. I'll take you to Kurosaki-kun."

The small captain felt his heart leaping into his throat as he followed the woman from the room, going into the one next to his. She let him in, leaving him by himself in the room, Matsumoto waiting outside of it.

Ichigo was lying on the bed in the middle of the room, a little pale but not looking too bad. Bandages were wrapped around his chest, the blanket pulled up to his collarbone.

Toshiro moved closer, grabbing at Ichigo's hand. The larger hand tightened around his, and then chocolate eyes opened to meet his. "Hey…"

Tears welled in his eyes again, and Toshiro smiled. "Baka. I love you so much…"

Ichigo chuckled painfully, and then pulled the captain down for a kiss. "I love you too, yuki hime. I'm glad you're okay."

"I should be telling you that." Toshiro murmured. "I can't believe you did that."

The orange-head smiled. "I had to protect you. I made a promise that I would."

"Baka…" Toshiro murmured again, but he climbed into the bed as Ichigo made room for him. Ichigo curled around his lover, kissing the side of his throat, petting his stomach.

"I love you, yuki hime…"

"I love you too, Ichigo."