The Perfect Happy Family (or something!)

by Ulquiorra9000

Epilogue

Ichigo wiped his brow as he swung open the front door to his apartment and trudged in, setting down his carrying bag by the door. "I'm back," he called out.

"Well, there you are." Candice emerged from Shiro's room with the baby in her arms. "You haven't been out this late in weeks, darling. We were getting a bit lonely." She patted Shiro's head, and the baby giggled.

Ichigo removed his shoes and kissed Candice's cheek. "Sorry about that. Lost track of time."

"Or maybe, you were just having a good time," Candice teased, handing over Shiro. She put her hands on her hips. "You've been a busy bee ever since we came back home from the Soul Society, y'know. Having fun out there?"

Ichigo shrugged, gently bobbing Shiro in his arms. "It's just a job search, is all. It's pretty tedious."

"Still," Candice said with a smile, "I think I've got my old husband back. You've got that... gleam in your eyes."

"Huh? Where?" Ichigo jokingly rubbed his eyes, but he hesitated when he took in Candice's meaning. "I didn't notice. I'm just going about my daily life."

"More than that." Candice pointed at her husband. "Seeing your old friends Rukia and Renji and Hanataro again, and taking part in their lives... it changed you." She cocked her head. "No, I think... it rekindled the hope and spirit of the man I fell in love with in the first place."

Ichigo stared in awe. "I... whoa. Are you for real?"

"Of course I am, silly." Candice shyly toyed with a strand of her vivid green hair. "I dunno if it was whatever Renji told you, or meditating with Hanataro, or just the really good food at the Kuchiki manor, but... well..." She gently took Shiro back and kissed Ichigo on the lips. "I like the end result. It makes me very happy." She went back into Shiro's room and set him down in his crib.

Ichigo chuckled. "Are you sure it wasn't just Giselle and Meninas hitting me on the head?" But as he said it, he knew his wife had a point. "It wasn't just all the pushups Renji and Tetsuzaemon made me do. Just seeing the life Rukia and Renji put together... it gave me perspective."

Candice wrapped her arms around Ichigo. "Oh? What what perspective is that?"

"Um... it's..." Ichigo glanced up as he scratched his head. What was a really impressive way to phrase it? "Look, Uryu or Orihime would put it more eloquently than I could. All I gotta say is that I love the life that we put together, and I'll never forget that, even when times are tough. I was pass-out drunk at our wedding, but I wrote my vows afterwards." He held his wife close. "One of them was to support my family in thick and thin. It's the least I can do."

"That was plenty eloquent for me, darling." Candice led Ichigo to the couch and they sat side by side. Candice folded her hands on her lap and beamed. "So, you'll be there for Shiro and me every day?"

"Yeah."

"Tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Next week?"

"You know it."

"When we take an expensive trip to the Caribbean and live like royalty for a week?"

"I - whoa, that'll take some saving up..."

Candice patted Ichigo's knee.

"Yeah. I'll be there for you then, too."

"Thank you. And I..." Candice kissed Ichigo's cheek. "Will never forget the way I felt when I first met you, even if our first date was a drunken whirlwind. Remember that? Even back then, I knew that you, Ichigo Kurosaki, would make me whole. And you still do, and I trust you to do that, always."

Ichigo felt himself go red. "That... whoa. Did you take lessons from Orihime?"

"And Rukia, and Tatsuki, and Uryu. All the ladies," Candice said with a giggle. "You're my husband, Ichigo. I know, Giselle and I are a real handful sometimes, but I've been meaning to remind you that, no matter what, I'm yours. Seeing how Rukia is with Renji... I think I got a little inspired, too." She wiped her brow. "Mmmmmmm. It feels wonderful, saying that out loud. I feel like I've owed it to you for a while."

"I'm humbled."

"Too humble to order a little dinner?" Candice nudged Ichigo with her elbow.

Ichigo grinned and got out his phone. "What are you in the mood for? There's a few places around here that deliver."

Candice leaned back. "Hmmmmm... why don't your surprise me."

"I think I will."

The rest of Ichigo's evening with Candice and Shiro was the most mundane, ordinary instance of domestic life he'd ever had.

It was perfect.

The end!