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"Daddy ... will you hold me, please?"

Whispers In Your Heart — X

March 16th, 2007 — 1:23 PM

"Are you feeling better, Rukia-san?"

"No, not much, but thank you for asking," Rukia said, smiling softly as she put her head in her hands. "I still feel terrible; I don't know why. It's been almost a week and a half since I started feeling like this ... Ichigo's really worried."

Rukia bit her lip as Unohana nodded, reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder. Rukia looked up and smiled bravely. Sitting down beside her on the couch in the Kurosaki home, Unohana looked down at the baby in Rukia's lap. Raye was chewing her fingers quietly, kicking her legs back and forth and watching them as if they really were interesting.

"How are the children doing?" she asked, trying to start a conversation. Rukia ran her fingers through Raye's soft hair and said,

"They're fine. Ichigo's out with Michio right now; they're getting rid of some energy, so it's just me and Raye."

"Kind of like a girls day out?"

Rukia laughed gently.

"I guess so. But all she's done without Michio is sit here on my lap and play with her fingers and toes. Unohana-san, do you know why babies find toes so interesting? Raye and Michio are always sucking on them."

Unohana laughed and shook her head as she watched Raye reach down, grab her tiny foot, and bring it up to suck on her bright pink toes. Raye giggled and reached out to grip Rukia's shirt in her tiny fingers. Rukia brushed her soft hair back and kissed her on the head before putting her down on the floor and turning to Unohana, asking, "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please; let me help you."

"Alright. Raye?"

"Mama?"

The little girl stood to her feet and turned to Rukia, her bright blue eyes questioning. Rukia said, "Are you thirsty?"

Raye nodded happily and toddled behind Rukia and Unohana into the kitchen where Rukia filled her bottle with water and, putting her in on of the kitchen chairs, handed it to her. Raye sucked happily as Rukia put water for tea on.

"Rukia-san?"

"Yes?" Rukia asked, walking over to Raye to keep her from crawling out of her chair. Then, she asked, "Unohana-san, why do you think I'm feeling like this? Do you think it's something serious?"

"I don't know, Rukia-san, but for now, I brought some vitamins that should help some."

Rukia smiled as Unohana took a small bottle from her pocket and handed it to her. "Thanks."

Later That Day ...

"How is she?"

"She's getting worse."

There was a shattering silence in the room and as the woman moved closer to the man, she said, "I think it's him. There's no way to be sure, of course, but her Reiatsu levels are so low I'm seriously worried. She's tired, and on top of that, she has two small ones to take care of day and night. She's almost to the point of exhaustion, and even Ichigo is worried about her."

"Is there anything we can do?" the man asked.

"We can run a test. I'm going to send him on a few day assignment to the real world, and see how she reacts. But not right away; I have her some pills that should help, and if they do, I see no reason to conduct the test."

"Alright. Keep me informed."

"Of course."

The woman bowed and left the room.

July 18th, 2009 - 5:30 AM

"Dad, sure you're OK with watching Raye for a while?" Ichigo asked, frowning as he held the sleeping child in his arms. His dad nodded, smiling.

"Sure. Yuzu will love it; Raye's a really good cook ... for her age. Anyway, it'll be good for us. She can skip school for a few days and we can have some Father-Daughter-Granddaughter time. Karin is leaving later this morning, so it'll just be us three. Don't worry, Ichigo; she'll be fine. Did she say she liked the idea?"

Ichigo laughed softly. "Like is an understatement. When she was packing her bag, she was bouncing off the walls. She's fond of you and Yuzu and Karin."

"Alright. Well, you'd better be going. Urahara said he'd open the gate at six."

"Right. Dad, are you sure this is OK? You're sure that the bond won't come back? You're sure that this won't hurt Rukia even more? I mean ... I'll have to leave right after seeing her. Is it really a good idea?"

"Ichigo, she's been waiting all this time. I'm sure she'd wait a little longer. You two are the most stubborn people in the world, and all other worlds. If there's a way, you'll find it. And I know there is a way."

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair and nodded, shrugging Raye's pink and blue backpack off of her back; it was covered in Chappy bunnies. Raye was just like her mom. Ichigo gently handed his father Raye, who shifted and opened her eyes sleepily. Ichigo smiled and kissed her head. "See you in a while, baby."

"Bye bye, daddy," Raye said quietly, hugging him. She smiled and closed her eyes again. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

After a quick good-bye to his father, Ichigo, in Shinigami form, began using Shun-po to get to the Urahara shop. He was twenty-five minutes early, but hey, that man could pull his butt out of bed a few minutes before schedule. But when he arrived, Yoruichi was the only one awake. She was sitting at the table, fully-clothed, thank God, and sipping her tea. She smiled at Ichigo as he walked up.

"Hello, Ichigo."

"Hello, Yoruichi-san. Um ... is Sandal 'n' Hat awake?"

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and looked at him like he was insane. "What? At six in the morning?"

"But-"

"He was originally planning for me to open the gate. C'mon."

Ichigo shrugged and followed her into the back of the shop where they climbed down into the huge under-ground training room. Yoruichi led him over to the gate and smirked, saying, "Sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"Well, I don't know all the details, but I'll take your word for it that this is for the best. Ready?" At a nod from Ichigo, Yoruichi began to open the gate. You'll have to run through Sen-Kimon to get there; I can't get you a Death Butterfly without Central 49 knowing."

"Right."

Once the gate was open, Ichigo thanked Yoruichi before starting through. He paused and said, "Oh, and tell that good-for-nothing Sandal 'n' Hat man ... thanks."

Yoruichi smiled. "Yeah."

He walked through, not looking back. He was only looking forward.

It was harder than he remembered running through the Sen-Kimon, but he made it through without a scratch and when he looked across the brightening horizon, he knew that he was where he wanted to be. Rukia was so close ... he could feel her Reiatsu, even Michio's. The sun was beginning to peak over the hills and it was casting the beautiful colors of the sunrise everywhere.

He began using Shun-po to get to Rukia just as soon as he had stopped taking in everything that seemed so familiar to him, yet so ... foreign. He followed Rukia's Reiatsu to a small house. Renji's house. He smiled; yeah, Renji was taking care of them.

He quietly walked in through a window and took a deep breath when he saw her. She was just standing there, her black hair flowing out gently around her face. Her small body was moving slightly, as if to unheard music, and her nightgown flapped in the wind from the window he was currently sitting in. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, because if he did, he was afraid that he would realize it was all a dream and that none of this was real. That he wasn't looking at her for the first time in years.

He let his eyes wander a little and he felt his heart swell when he saw Michio laying down on the big bed in the room. He was wearing a pair of pajamas with dogs all over them, and as he slept, his breathing was soft and his orange-black hair spiked up.

It felt, however, like his heart was breaking as Rukia turned a little, not enough to see him, but enough for him to see the small baby in her arms. It was a girl, he could tell; her hair was soft black, like Rukia's, and it was slightly messy from sleep. Rukia was humming gently to the baby and Ichigo felt like backing away from the window.

Rukia had moved on, hadn't she?

She'd moved on and built a new life without him.

He was just about to leave when the baby in Rukia's arms suddenly shifted and, popping slobbery, tiny fingers from her mouth, she said happily,

"Dada!"

Rukia smiled at the baby, not turning around, and said softly, "Hmm, Anyame?"

Ichigo's eyes widened a little; Anyame? That was Raye's name ...

"Dada," Anyame said again, this time point a small, thin finger out toward Ichigo. He gasped, but was unable to move from his spot as Rukia turned around. Her eyes went wide, and Ichigo swore that he could see tears in them as her small body began to shake slightly. He smiled.

"Um ... hi?"

"I-Ichigo ... " Rukia's voice was shaking as Ichigo jumped from the window and landed in the middle of the room, reaching out a hand to press it gently to Rukia's face. He said softly, forcing down the lump in his throat and pointing to Anyame, "She's beautiful."

"Ichigo ... y-you came b-back?"

Her voice was unbelieving, and the tears had began to slowly make a path down her face as she just stared into his eyes. He nodded, reaching out and taking Anyame from Rukia's arms; she was shaking so badly that the baby might have dropped. He set Anyame on the ground gently, on a blanket that had been previously laid out for her, and reached out, taking Rukia into his arms. She collapsed in his embrace and clutched tightly to his shirt. He smiled as he buried his face in her hair.

"How've ya been, Rukia?"

She didn't answer, but he didn't expect her to. She just cried, though he knew her tears were those of happiness, not of pain. When she pulled back a little, she reached up and kissed him gently on the lips; she began to back away, but Ichigo held her tightly to him and deepened the kiss.

When he broke it, he held her against him and just breathed in her scent. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that; maybe five minutes. But neither moved and neither wanted to move. Ichigo whispered, "God, Rukia, it's been so long."

A new wave of tears attacked Rukia.

"T-Thank you, Ichigo."

"For what?" he asked, pulling back so he could stare into her eyes.

"For c-coming back."

Ichigo smiled. "I told you I'd never leave you, didn't I? I broke that promise, but there was no way I couldn't come back. Sorry it took me so long."

Rukia shook her head and Ichigo could feel the slight movement against his chest. They were once again launched into silence until Ichigo asked,

"Hey ... about the baby ... Um Anyame, is she ... ?" His question trailed off and Rukia nodded, saying, "She's y-yours."

Ichigo was both happy and shocked at the same time. A baby girl ... she was so beautiful ... and she was his?

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when he heard an excited shriek from the other side of the room. Michio was sitting up in the bed, Anyame holding onto his shoulder to keep herself on her feet, and his wide eyes were fixed on Ichigo and only Ichigo. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, the small child jumped up from the bed, taking Anyame's hand, and ran over to Ichigo, hugging tightly onto his leg. Rukia pulled back a little from Ichigo to smile down at Michio, who looked up at him with tears in his eyes, saying,

"Daddy ... will you hold me, please?"

Ichigo picked up the tiny child in his arms and held him tightly to him; Michio had grown so much. He wrapped his arms tightly around Ichigo's neck and held on as if for his life. Ichigo smiled and reached out, pulling Rukia against him, too.

Anyame protested to being left out and dropped onto her butt, pouting loudly. Rukia laughed through her tears and reached down, picking her up.

"I can't believe you're back, Ichigo. But ... what about Raye? Is she ... "

Ichigo smiled. "She's alive and wants to see you more than anything in the world."

A happy shout of, "Told ya, mommy!" from Michio made Ichigo laugh.

Everything hadn't quite set in yet; he was still in shock. Seeing Rukia ... Michio ... and, oh God, he had a baby girl ... he wanted to hold her in his arms.

Suddenly, the beautiful silence in the room was broken as the door of the bedroom slammed open. When Ichigo turned around and saw the two men in the door, his eyes went wide and Rukia gasped. Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji were standing in the door, their eyes wide and neither of them moving until Byakuya spoke.

"Kurosaki, what the hell are you doing here?"

Hmm ... cliffhanger ... kinda. And if you're wondering why Byakuya seems so cold after he said he would find a way for Ichigo to come back ... wait until the next chapter, it'll all make sense, so no whining about that.

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