Chapter 10

Author's note: Independence day is rather close for me, only a day away. So, since I am so happy, I will post another chapter today. So, double update day I guess.

Ichigo was tired. It had already been ten hours, nerves and contractions keeping him up. The contractions had started four hours before, and Ichigo had been scared. Shiro explained though his body had created a vagina so the birth could be natural. Ichigo found that to be weird, but was rather thankful for it.

His water had yet to break, so they were waiting on pins and needles for it. He didn't want to to wait, he wanted it to be over and done with. He sighed, lifting one leg so he could be situated better. His face became pale.

Shiro looked over to Ichigo, sudden worry striking through him when he saw his pale face stuck in an expression of fear. Shiro rushed over to him, Isshin, who he had been talking to following him. Isshin went over to the end of the bed and lifted the blanket, seeing water and blood staining the towel beneath him.

"What's wrong?" Shiro asked, Ichigo's hand shaking in his.

"His water just broke," Isshin told him, Ichigo closing his eyes. Shiro wiped away the tear that fell down his temple.

"I don't know if I can do this," Ichigo whispered, Shiro shushing him. He kissed his forehead, smiling shakily.

"You can Ichigo, I know you can," Shiro told him as Isshin had the wet towel removed and placed with another. Ichigo gripped his hand for life and comfort, feeling rather alone. All these people were here to help him, but he felt more alone than he did when he was lost in the forest. Shiro kissed the back of his hand, rubbing a thumb over his skin.

"Remember when I told you that caterpillars had it worst of all?" Shiro asked, Ichigo nodding.

"They're locked away in darkness, until they can break free as a new being," Ichigo quoted, Shiro kissing his forehead.

"I won't let you be locked away in that darkness Ichigo," Shiro whispered against his skin, Ichigo taking in a shaky breath. Warmth pooled into his chest, his eyes opening. The brown irises were glistening with tears, shaking as he thought back to a memory.

Ichigo had been hiding in his room beneath the bed, his hands put over his mouth to stifle his laughter. He had squeaked when his leg was suddenly grabbed, laughing hysterically as he was pulled from beneath the bed. Shiro was on him in a second, roaring as he tickled him.

"Okay you found me!" Ichigo screamed, laughing as Shiro fell down next to him.

"I'll always find you, no matter what," Shiro told him, his child face stretched into a wide grin. Ichigo closed his eyes, breathing in softly.

"It's time to push Ichigo."

They went through a quick breathing exercise before it came down to the real thing, Shiro holding tight onto Ichigo's hand. Isshin was down between Ichigo's legs, mask and gloves put on. Uryuu stood beside, there to clean the baby when it was delivered or if Isshin needed help.

"Okay Ichigo, I need you to push when I start counting alright? Take in a deep breath and one…"

Ichigo took in a deep breath and rose up slightly, pushing as hard as he could. His face was red and sweaty, his body in pain and exhausted, but it made it through. Isshin said ten and Ichigo fell back against the bed with a deep sigh, Shiro dabbing a rag across his forehead. He kissed his lips, pulling away before kissing his forehead.

"Come on, just a little while longer," Shiro urged, Ichigo nodding.

"Okay, give me another. Take in a deep breath and one…" Ichigo rose up slightly, his face scrunched up as he pushed hard, feeling like everything inside of him was slowly being pulled out. He wanted to die with how painful it felt, a small cry leaving his throat.

"Ten," his father counted, Ichigo relaxing again with a sigh. He hadn't been given any medication to help with the pain, so it only hurt worse. He wanted it to be over so badly.

"Again, take in a deep breath and one…"

Ichigo bit his tongue, but his scream escaped, his entire being feeling as if it was being turned inside out. It felt like his pelvic bones were being broken, his entire body protesting.

"I can see the head!" Isshin yelled, Ichigo sobbing as he fell back against the bed.

"It's alright babe," Shiro told him, Ichigo shaking his head.

"Get it out!" he yelled, Shiro feeling helpless next to him. He grabbed his hand tighter, kissing his forehead again.

"I'm right here babe. Can you push again for me?" Shiro asked, Ichigo shaking his head. He didn't want to push, he didn't want to continue. He wanted it out, he wanted the pain to stop.

"Another push alright Ichi?" his father asked, Ichigo sobbing but nodding.

"Alright, breathe in and one…" Ichigo rose up with a scream, his hand not clutching Shiro's fisting in the sheets, his eyes shut tight as he sent up prayer after prayer for it to just come out. He felt like vomiting then, another scream torn from his throat before his father said ten. He fell back against the bed, gasping as the pain became more intense. He pushed again without being told so, his scream of agony faintly heard by Orihime.

"This is no way to bring a child into the world," she sighed, Chad nodding. Renji looked to the clock, sighing tiredly.

"I wish we could rush something like this. It's already two in the morning," he grumbled, Orihime sending him a sharp glare. She had to agree, but it was still rude.

"What if we rushed you while you were taking a sh-" The door was suddenly knocked down, Renji raising his gun. Hachigen stood there, a wide grin on his lips.

"Missed me?"

Shiro looked up to the ceiling when he heard gunshots, gritting his teeth angrily. He didn't smell an entire pack, but the disgusting stench alone meant danger. Shiro looked back down to Ichigo who seemed to barely enough energy to push again. He kissed his forehead, looking to Uryuu. His eyes were fearful as well.

"Baby I need you to push," Shiro urged, Ichigo screaming out his pain.

"I'm trying," he cried, Isshin beginning another countdown. Ichigo rose up with a scream loud enough to hurt Shiro's ears, his hand tightening around his. Shiro kissed his hand again, looking down to where Isshin was at.

"The head is out!" Isshin yelled, Ichigo falling against the bed with a sob.

"Just one more push," Shiro told him, Ichigo sobbing softly.

"Breathe baby," Shiro urged, Ichigo squeezing his hand tighter.

"You push this shit out then tell me to breathe," Ichigo growled, Shiro smiling at that despite his fears.

"Alright, breathe in and one…" Ichigo rose up with a scream, pushing as hard as he could. He felt as if all his spine was pulled out of him, falling against the bed when the cries of a child echoed throughout the room. Shiro couldn't help but gasp when Isshin lifted their son for them to see, the small baby crying madly.

"It's a boy!" Isshin cheered, Ichigo lifting his head weakly to see. He was to weak though, falling against the bed. Isshin had Uryuu cut the cord before letting him take the baby, grabbing the cord and pressing his hand against Ichigo's abdomen to help him deliver the placenta. His eyebrows furrowed. The placenta should have come out easily, but when he pulled, something was stopping it.

"There's another," he whispered at first, shocked himself. Twins had never been born from the Soul. That was supposed to be impossible.

"Ichigo, I need you to push again," Isshin told him, Ichigo confused. Shiro was too, but with one look to Isshin's face he became fearful.

"Ichigo, there's another on the way," Shiro told him, Ichigo shaking his head with a sob.

"No!" he sobbed, Shiro understanding his suffering.

"Ichigo I need you to push," Shiro told him, Ichigo shaking his head again.

"Please no," he whispered weakly, Shiro kissing his forehead again. Ichigo shook his head, but he knew he would have to push. Isshin began another countdown.

Orihime panted, her eyes darting to Chad who was in full form. Renji had unloaded most of his bullets into the giant behemoth, but Hachigen had yet to fall. Something wasn't right and Orihime could smell it in his blood. He smelled like the dead.

She stood up slowly, her human body having reached it's limit. The house was mess, but after creating a shield, no one heard the racket and gun shots. The last thing she wanted was for innocent people to be involved.

She turned with a roar, Hachigen grinning.

"The girl who refused to be her inner beast uses it to defeat me. How inspiring," he cackled, Orihime growling low in her throat. She heard another scream, and this time so did Hachigen. His cackle was cut short, his perky ears twitching.

"It seems like our little Soul has started the ceremony. My my, I'm going to be late." Orihime gasped as she was suddenly pinned against the wall, Hachigen's ugly face close to her's.

"You can't do this!" she growled, Hachigen laughing. His hand tightened, Chad thrown back when he tried to save her.

"You and your friends wouldn't understand my struggle all these years." Orihime gasped when she was slammed against the floor, the wood breaking.

"I have tried for so long to become Alpha, but I always get beat down! If I can consume the Soul I can overthrow Yamamoto for good!" he yelled, Orihime crying out as he threw her against her own shield, the barrier electrocuting her. She screamed out her pain, falling against the floor limply.

Hachigen popped his neck, growling low when another bullet was shot at him. He picked her up, her fur smoking. Her eyes were barely able to stay open, blood pouring from her nose and mouth.

"You could never be an alpha." Hachigen stopped, his eyes narrowing. Orihime's body shrunk, taking her human form once again. She smiled weakly up at him, her eyes still holding that small spark of defiance and life.

"An alpha protects it's pack, and doesn't stop fighting until they are safe. But you, you tried to put them all back in danger once they finally got to safety." Ichigo's scream was heard again, Orihime smiling bitterly.

"You can destroy life all you want, but it will never forget or give up. In the end, you will never get what you fought so hard for."

Her head was removed from her shoulders.

Renji watched with wide eyes as her limp body fell to the floor, her head rolling over to the basement door. Her body touched the ground in a kneeling position before falling over, her head touching against the door. A small smile was left on her lips.

XXXHeartXXX

Ichigo rose up with a cry, the baby coming out. Only silence followed though. Ichigo noticed this, trying to rise up and see what was wrong.

"What's wrong with my baby?" he asked, Shiro looking to Isshin for an answer. He shook his head, Ichigo falling against the bed with sob. Shiro closed his eyes, feeling defeated. Isshin tried to open the babies lungs, digging into his mouth and cleaning his nose, but there were still no cries.

"Oh god," Ichigo whispered, his hand shaking as it covered his eyes. He sent up a prayer, hoping for his baby to be okay. He heard a small sigh, a familiar voice heard in his head.

"You saved my life King. This is the small payment I can give in return." Ichigo opened his eyes, looking to Syrian. His eyes were locked on the baby, Syrian walking over to it. Isshin showed him the dead baby, Syrian putting his nose against his forehead. Isshin's eyes widened as Syrian's fur slowly began to turn color. His body grew frail, his blue eyes closing. Slowly life was drawn from him, and put into the baby in Isshin's arms. With Syrian's final sigh the baby began to cry, but with it's first cry, Syrian's body fell to the floor, a small almost human smile on his snout.

Ichigo hid himself in Shiro's shirt as their second child, a girl was brung into the world. Her cord was cut and she was given to Uryuu to clean. Ichigo sobbed lightly into Shiro's shirt, his body shaking with each sobbed exhale. Shiro put a hand to his head, his other still clutching his hand. His eyes couldn't leave Syrian's body, tears of his own burning his eyes.

"He had been a good dog," Shiro whispered, Ichigo only sobbing harder. Shiro's eyes were taken away from Syrian and turned to his children who were brung to him by Uryuu. He gave Uryuu a small nod, Uryuu smiling softly. He took a step back, the babies no longer crying. Ichigo pulled away, sniffling as he looked up to his small creations.

"It's time to deliver the after birth." Isshin helped Ichigo do that as Shiro sat down in a chair, looking down at his babies with a teary smile. The boy was sleeping but the girl was still awake, her eyes opening up. Shiro froze when he saw her eyes. They were both brown, but like something he had never seen before, her right eye slowly turned to a beautiful sky blue, just like Syrian's. Shiro kissed her forehead, closing his eyes tight. He pulled away with a small sob, kissing her forehead again before kissing the boy's.

After Ichigo had delivered the placenta, Uryuu helped Ichigo sit up, the babies given to him. Shiro gave him a small smile as he gave them to him, Ichigo giving him a shaky one.

The babies had no hair on their heads yet, but they were still beautiful, Ichigo kissing both of their foreheads. He couldn't help but smile, tears falling down his cheeks. His smile fell at the sight of his daughter's eyes, his bottom lip trembling. Her eyes slowly closed as she fell asleep, Ichigo looking to Syrian's body. But it had turned to dust, Ichigo closing his eyes with a small sob.

Shiro kissed his forehead, Ichigo looking up to him. Ichigo had lost one child, but with it, gained another. He couldn't be happy, or be sad. He could only cry.

They all looked up at the sound of a loud bang against the steel door. Ichigo held his babies tighter on instinct, looking to Shiro. The babies began to cry again, Ichigo softly shushing them, but it was too late. The door was knocked down, the dust that was left of Syrian's body rising into the air, Ichigo's eyes closing tight as he covered the mouth and nose of the babies.

"Forgive me, but I do believe I have missed the reception." A man Ichigo knew walked in, Shiro narrowing his eyes at him as he growled. But his growl was cut short as the man lifted three heads. Ichigo gasped.

Orihime. Chad. Renji.

His arms shook around his children, Hachigen throwing the heads onto the ground.

"You should have thought of a better defense," Hachigen chuckled, Ichigo looking into the eyes of his friends. Tears fell down his cheeks as Orihime stared back at him, a peaceful smile on her lips. Ichigo grit his teeth as the other's began to fight him, Shiro releasing a battle cry as he charged forward.

Ichigo couldn't look away though. He couldn't look away from those eyes. Every single one of them gave up their lives to save him. They died so he could live.

"What is the point of doing something if you can't stand up to do anything!"

Ichigo took in a deep breath, getting up slowly. He put his feet onto the ground and stood up, almost falling as his entire body protested. He turned around and put his babies on the bed, kissing their foreheads one more time. He called upon the earth and weeds grew from the cement, their thorns sharp. They created a shield around his babies, Ichigo looking away from them to Hachigen.

He walked over to the heads of his friends, looking down to Orihime's eyes once again. He then looked to Chad's, then Renji's. That peaceful look was in all of their eyes. They believed he would live. They died believing that Hachigen wouldn't succeed. Ichigo looked up to that monster, stepping over his friends. He wouldn't let their death's be in vain.

He stopped at the foot of the bed, closing his eyes.

"I'll kill you all!" Hachigen yelled, Ichigo closing his eyes tighter. He thought back to the ocean, thought back to when he first felt it against his skin.

"My King?" his voice was weak, but Ichigo could still hear it. He smiled a little, feeling the water coil around his body. At that moment it felt as if he stood at the bottom of the ocean, the water running across his limbs, soothing his every muscle.

"I need your help, Deion," Ichigo whispered, feeling claws wrap around his throat. There was silence, his feet leaving the cold ocean floor.

"I understand, my King."

Shiro growled low, trying to get up but unable to feel his legs. He screamed for Ichigo to fight back as he was slowly lifted in Hachigen's grasp, feeling hopeless as his claws tightened. But that smile, a small peaceful smile was on Ichigo's lips, and at that moment, Shiro felt something heavy inside of him.

"Ichigo no!" The floor suddenly collapsed into itself around Hachigen and Ichigo, the two falling into the hole. Shiro screamed for his love, feebly crawling towards the hole. The hole was full of water, the top sealed off with ice. Shiro hit it, screaming out his agony.

"Give him back!" he screamed, Isshin pulling him away. He was badly injured himself, but once he grabbed Shiro he fell limp in his arms, his screams as loud as day.

"Ichigo!"

He felt at ease. The claw had released his throat, Ichigo opening his eyes. Hachigen had yet to die, clawing the ice covered hole they had fell into, Ichigo watching silently. His blood was slowly pouring into the water, the feeling of hands touching his back, keeping him from sinking.

"My King," Deion's voice whispered, Ichigo smiling softly. Hachigen slowly lost the fight, his limbs going still. He slowly sunk down, lost in the sea of darkness. Ichigo felt safe now, his own eyes closing as well.

"My King."

Shiro sobbed hard against the floor, his legs finally back to normal. He felt pathetic, unable to even look at his children. He shook against the floor near the hole, Uryuu and Isshin trying to get the babies from the barrier. It proved useless, only adding more onto their injuries. Just when Shiro felt like he should give up, he heard a small whisper. He lifted his head, looking to the ice. It was slowly breaking, Shiro moving away quickly when it shattered.

Uryuu drew his weapon, every single one of them ready to fight what they thought was leaving the ice. But instead of a beast, Ichigo was raised from the hole. Water held him up like hands, Shiro disbelieving. He stood, lightly grasping Ichigo's body. Once his hands touched the water it fell back into the hole, Ichigo secure in his arms.

Shiro heard another whisper, but this time the words were understandable.

"Watch over our King, Shiro." With that the water in the hole disappeared. Ichigo coughed, Shiro looking to his face with worry. His brown eyes opened, a small smile touching his lips.

"Shiro," he whispered hoarsely, Shiro taking in a shaky breath before nodding. Ichigo reached a hand up, lightly patting his cheek.

"I love you," he whispered, Shiro chuckling through his tears.

"I love you too, so much," Shiro replied, Ichigo smiling wider. Shiro put him on his feet, Ichigo hugging him tight.

"I had thought I wouldn't see you again," Shiro whispered against his neck, Ichigo snorting softly.

"It's going to take a lot more than that thing to kill me," Ichigo whispered, pulling away. He looked into Shiro's eyes, his hand sliding up his back and into his hair. He leaned forward and kissed him, the kiss skipping chaste and going straight to desperate and loving. It was sloppy, but when Ichigo pulled away, he couldn't have been anymore happier.

He lowered the shield and picked up their children, sitting back down on the bed as the plants returned to the earth.

"We still have to name them," he chuckled, Shiro sitting down next to him.

"The boy I was thinking Ritsuki," Shiro told him, Ichigo smiling as his father put a towel over his shoulders.

"I like it," he replied, both of them looking to the girl. There was no doubt, they both already knew by heart what they wanted her name to be.

"Syrian."

On July 3, in the Kurosaki Clinic basement, Ritsuki and Syrian Kurosaki were born.