Nozomi stood at the peak of Sogyoku Hill, overlooking the Soul Society. The cool breeze flowed through her hair. Rukia told her about how far along she was in her pregnancy. She was absolutely shocked, and wondered why she didn't tell her earlier. Suddenly someone put their hand on her shoulder and said, "Nozomi?"
Nozomi blinked and now instinctively slid behind the person and put her Zanpakuto to their throat. Nozomi suddenly realized that it was Renji. She pulled her sword away from his throat. "Uh... sorry!" she said frantically.
Renji checked his throat and put his hand up to put her at ease, "Its okay, I shouldn't have snuck up on you. Rukia told me how much you've been training, and I can see you've been taking it seriously." he said with a smile.
Nozomi smiled at him and nodded. "Uh-huh, I've been training eight hours a day for the past three weeks." she said happily.
Renji almost jumped when she said that. "Eight hours a day? Jeez, I don't even take that much time a week to figure out how I'll spend my days off!" he said, causing Nozomi to laugh. "Anyway, Rukia and Shizuno wanted me to tell you that they've set up Ichigo's grave."
Nozomi frowned, "Where?" she asked sadly.
Renji's smile faded too. "The place where you died." he said trying to lighten the mood.
Nozomi kept her frown and turned away from him. "Hm... that rings a bell." she said, to Renji's surprise, sarcastically before leaving the hill.
On her way to his grave, she put a hand on her stomach. She felt one of the babies kick. She smiled and giggled. She was due in a week, which made her more and more excited each day. It also kept her mind off of Ichigo. She was actually mad at herself for wanting to kill herself. She would be being selfish, not even considering what Ichigo and the others sacrificed to save her.
She could see the immense column of green light. It was the barrier that Ozan had put up. She almost shivered at the thought of the place. She tried to pick up the pace, but not so much that it would tire her before she got there. Shizuno, Zenas, Ijana, and Daichi had decided to make up for what they had done to her, and what it cost. They had even started helping out around the Soul Society by guarding the districts from any hollow attacks.
She was about halfway through the forest before she saw the large hole in the barrier that Ozan made with his cero. through it, she could see the cross on the top of the hill. Rukia was standing in front of it. She made it out of the forest and walked up the hill. "Hi, Rukia." Nozomi said quietly as she stopped next to her.
Rukia looked at her and smiled when she realized who it was. "Hi, Nozomi. I see you've come to visit Ichigo's grave." she said in a light tone.
Nozomi nodded before looking down at a bouquet of roses and a picture of Ichigo. She quickly wiped the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "It's... hard to believe he's only been gone for a month, it feels like I haven't seen him in years." she said while sitting down on her legs.
Rukia let out a long sigh. "I'm going to The World of The Living to take a walk around Karakura. Maybe even visit Ichigo's family. You wanna come?" she asked.
Nozomi shook her head, "No, I think I'll stay here for a while." she said with a smile.
Rukia nodded and left. Nozomi returned her attention to the picture of Ichigo. "Hello, dear. I'm sorry I can't join you where you are. But I'm due pretty soon, and I have to take care of our kids. We're having twins! Can you believe it!? Twins!" she said with an overjoyed smile. "We'll all join you some time. But I won't let your sacrifice go to waste. I'll live my life to the fullest, and I'll make sure the kids live the same." she said as tears began rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them off and her smile returned. "I just wish that you could come back."
Heavy footsteps trailed up the hill behing her. She looked back to see Shuhei. "We all do." he said before stopping next to her. "No one saw it coming, but I guess it makes sense that he killed himself."
Nozomi looked at him strangely, "What do you mean?" she asked tilting her head.
Shuhei chuckled as he and Nozomi sat down in the grass and said, "Well there wasn't anything else that could kill him!"
Nozomi simply looked at him sadly. Shuhei lost the smile quickly when he realized how she felt about his 'joke'.
Shuhei awkwardly looked around before saying, "Soo... you're having twins?" trying to lighten the mood.
Nozomi smiled and laughed, "Yeah, everyone's been asking me about it, you know, asking if it's true and what I'm going to name them."
Shuhei grinned. "Well, if you don't mind my asking, what would you name them?"
Nozomi quickly stopped and thought for a moment. "Uh... I don't know for sure, I only have one girl name, and one boy name, but I don't know the genders yet."
Shuhei had a puzzled look on his face and asked, "Why not?"
"Because I want it to be a surprise!" she said as if the answer were as obvious as the color of grass.
Shuhei rolled his eyes. "I should probably get going, I have to go train some recruits in kido." he said before standing up to leave. "Oh, and a few people might stop by to visit you, or Ichigo." he said as he walked down the hill.
"Okay." she said softly as she continued her visit.
A few minutes of talking with Ichigo went by, with no response of course. Nozomi almost considered that she was loosing her mind to grief and stress. She thought of how hard it would be for her to raise two kids on her own. Granted, she could probably get support from her friends and family, but money wasn't her main concern.
She was worried about how she would break it to them, or even tell them at all. The Soul Society, she wasn't sure when, how, or if she would tell her kids about the Soul Reapers, hollows and the modsouls. Should she tell them when they're children and let them accept it as their lives, or when they were older, so they wouldn't fear their new reality as much.
She reminded herself that she wouldn't have to deal with the problem, hopefully, for a long time. Suddenly she could hear footsteps and the sound of a little girl laughing. She looked back to see Kenpachi with Yachiru riding on his back.
"Well, well. Isn't this disappointing. He really is gone, huh?" Kenpachi said with a frown. Nozomi couldn't help but grimace at him as she nodded in response. "Damn. I really thought he'd stay alive long enough for our final fight to the death. But maybe I can still fight your kid. Hopefully he... or she, will be strong like him."
"Kids actually." she corrected. Kenpachi and Yachiru looked at her confusedly, "I'm having twins. And, as Ichigo once said, you are not fighting my kids."
Kenpachi almost flinched at 'twins' part. "OH! So that's true? I thought that was a bunch of recruits making crap up!" he said scratching the back of his head.
"When are the little Ichis gonna be running around?!" Yachiru asked excitedly.
Nozomi smiled at her childish attitude, "Soon, soon." she said with a laugh.
"I just wanted to see if he really dead, so I'm outta here." Kenpachi said before turning and leaving.
"See ya later!" the pink haired lieutenant said cheerfully.
Nozomi liked Yachiru, but was disgusted by Kenpachi's bloodlustful attitude toward fighting.
A few more people had come and gone to visit him and try to comfort her. Some helped out, but most just reminded her of her time with Ichigo, and what she would do for just one more day with him.
One final person came walking up the hill. Nozomi didn't bother looking back since the more recent visitors weren't anyone she knew well. They stopped behind her and stared at the cross and then at the picture and flowers that had withered slightly since they were put there.
"Someone you knew?" the man asked. Nozomi froze at the familiarity of his voice. It was familiar to the point where she was overjoyed, but with a mix of pure horror.
"Y-yes, he was m-my h-h-husband." she studdered.
"What was his name?" he asked. The sound of his voice made her smile, and tears of joy and sorrow poured down her face.
"I-ichigo Kurosaki." she said as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes and face.
"That's funny..." his voice sent a tingle of hope and joy up and down her spine, "...that's my name."
She couldn't resist and turned to see that unmistakable head of orange hair. Nozomi shrieked with pure joy and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ichigo grabbed her and spun her around as the two laughed in joy.
He set her down while she used his shoulder as a pillow and let her joy-filled tears soak into his robes. She lifted her face off of his shoulder and took a moment to look at him before meeting his lips in a deep kiss.
Ichigo's hand moved down her back and then just below her waist and onto her butt. Nozomi broke the kiss and slapped him. Ichigo put a hand on his now red cheek, "Sorry, I got caught up in the moment again." he said with a blush.
Nozomi looked at him with amazement, "B-b-b-but how? How are you alive?" she studdered frantically.
"You can thank me for that." a voice came out of nowhere. Nozomi looked to see Mayuri Kurotsutchi.
"Huh? YOU brought him back?" she asked.
Mayuri nodded, "Uh-huh, by using a mix of the Soul Reapers' spirit pressure, and basic human anatomy understanding, I was able to mend the hole in his heart and get rid of the blood that filled his lungs, thought it took a few weeks."
"But, why... how?" she asked again.
"That word I had with Byakuya. I explained to him that I owed Ichigo a favor." he explained. Nozomi still looked confused. "Ichigo had involuntarily supplied us with sufficient amounts of his DNA and spirit energy. And you don't want to know how we got certain samples of his DNA." the couple looked terrified when he said that, "Yes, let's just say that Nemu had to get those samples."
Ichigo had a deep red blush on his face. "I feel so... violated." he said in horror.
Nozomi smiled, trying to forget what Mayuri just said. "The important thing is that we're back together. And, hey, maybe we can use Mayuri's new system to tend to patients at the Squad 4 Barracks!" she said excitedly.
"Oh, I don't think so." Mayuri said as he pulled out a small remote and pressed the one button on it. There was a sudden explosion from the Soul Society. "Now, you see, the research for such a system is gone now."
Ichigo and Nozomi looked at each other. "Please don't tell me you destroyed your Barracks." Ichigo said, thinking of just how insane the man was.
The mad man grinned, "Indeed I did, now there's no trace of what I did for Ichigo. I wouldn't want anyone thinking I've gone soft, now would I?"
The two gave long sighs and shook their heads at his stupidity. Nozomi looked up at Ichigo with glee and almost shouted, "Ichigo, we're gonna have twins!" causing Ichigo's eyes to widen. He picked her up again and the two were overwhelmed with joy.
Ichigo looked at her excitedly, "When are you due?" he asked, almost jumping in anticipation for the answer.
"Next wee... uh..." Nozomi's expression took a sudden one eighty.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"I think my due date just got moved up a bit."
"Huh?"
"I think my water just broke." she said trying to hide the panic. They looked down to see the liquid gathering into a puddle in the grass. Nozomi almost started screaming, "Aah... what do I do? What do I do?!" she started asking, still trying to hide her panic.
Ichigo tried to think fast, "We need to get you to Squad 4!" he said as he picked her up bridal style and began flash-stepping his way through the woods.
Once they made it to the Soul Society, it was nothing but gasps and confusion. People that knew he was dead were frightened, some were surprised, but the majority were overjoyed. People cheered as he past by them.
Rukia opened the door to Byakuya's house to see why everyone was cheering. "Hey! What the hell's going on?" she shouted as a certain orange-haired man zipped by her. She stared in the dirction he was headed. "I-ichigo?"
The two finally made it to the front doors of the Squad 4 Barracks. He ran in with and, without thinking, shouted, "Hey! Make way, my wife's going into labor here!" not even giving anyone time to realize he was alive.
Isane and Unohana walked up to them. "Ichigo. I see Mayuri's seen you've had a full recovery."
Ichigo looked at her in surprise. "How did you...? Nevermind, Nozomi's gone into labor."
"Oh my, the babies have come early. Please follow me." she said before walking down a hallway. She walked into a room where Ichigo layed Nozomi down on a bed. Unohana held a Hell Butterfly on her finger and asked, "Would you like to inform everyone about Nozomi giving birth, or should I?"
"You tell them. I'm not missing a moment of my kids being born. Oh, and don't forget to mention that I'm alive, please." Ichigo responded.
Unohana nodded before walking outside of the room. Ichigo grabbed Nozomi's hand. "Ichigo... I'm kinda scared." she said squeezing his hand.
Isane smiled, "It's alright to be scared, it is your first birth after all."
"Thanks." Nozomi said in appreciation of her reassurance. She let out a small groan of pain.
"Get ready to see your new family, Nozomi and Ichigo." Unohana said reentering the room and rubbing her hands together in preparation of the birth.
QUICK! Their kids are about to be born and I need your help. Head to my profile page to vote on whether Nozomi and Ichigo's kids will be both boys, a girl and a boy, or two precious little girls. Plus, if you have any name suggestions for them, you can let me know via PM, I will consider each and every name carefully. The poll will be open until august seventh, and then you will learn what you voted on.
