Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters. Thanks to CrystalRaindrop007 for Beta'ing! Some mentions of Hisana in this are AU!
"Daddy, if ya keep pacin' then you'll wear a hole in the floor and falls through," Michio said happily.
Whispers In Your Heart — XIV
June 5th, 2007 — 3:03 PM
"Unohana-san, will you please not tell Ichigo that I passed out again?" Rukia asked worriedly, fingering her hair as she let her gaze drop to the ground. The doctor smiled and nodded.
"You tell him sometime, though. He needs to know; he's worried about you."
"Ah."
"Also ... I'd like to take some blood for tests. When ... when Hisana-san died, her symptoms were much like yours."
"Unohana-san, you ... knew my sister?" Rukia asked, her violet eyes wide. Unohana nodded.
"I was the one who treated her while she was sick. You're ... showing symptoms a lot like hers. I didn't want to tell you this yet, but it could be the same thing."
"What happened to her?" Rukia asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"She became very weak and seemed sick much of the time. To this day, I am still unsure of what killed her, but I have some theories. Let me run some tests; there is a way I can know, alright?"
"Alright."
Rukia had managed to get her voice back under control as Unohana began to take the blood she would need for her tests.
"What was she like?"
Rukia's soft, quiet question took Unohana by surprise, but she answered, forcing a small smile. "She was very kind. Beautiful, loving, strong ... a lot like you, Rukia-san."
Rukia smiled as Unohana finished. She turned around to the doctor.
"Thank you, for telling me about my sister."
"You're welcome. I'll get back to you soon on the test results. Just ... don't worry about it, alright? And don't do anything that takes up too much energy, especially sexual intercourse. Take it easy until I have your results back."
Rukia nodded; she didn't trust her voice. How could she not worry? What if she was dying? What about her children, and Ichigo? Would they be able to move on without her? In time, they could, but she wanted to be there for them. She didn't want Michio or Raye to lose their mother, like Ichigo had lost his.
Shaking such thoughts from her head, Rukia jumped off the bed and walked out. She needed to go pick up her children from her brother's house. She was afraid, yes, but that couldn't stop her from being a mother or a wife.
Later That Day ...
After his sister had picked up the twins, Byakuya left to talk to Unohana; he needed to know why his sister looked so sad. What was wrong?
He found the doctor in the forth division's quarters, healing a small boy's arm. The little kid had shaggy black hair and was pouting until his arm was better. Then, he jumped up, hugged Unohana, and ran out of the room.
"What is wrong with Rukia?"
Unohana turned around, clearly surprised, but then relaxed a little.
"I should explain. It's a long story, and ... there is something else I need to tell you. But first I have a question; Kuchiki-san ... was Hisana-san a Shinigami?" She was sure she knew, she just needed him to confirm it.
Byakuya froze up at the question and his eyes held no emotion as he said, "No."
Unohana nodded; that was what she had been afraid of.
"We know that Rukia's Reiatsu levels are low, and Ichigo's strong presence seems to be the reason. I also know that Kurosaki Isshin, when he left Soul Society, married a human, and together, they had a child. Much like Ichigo and Rukia had Michio and Raye. Isshin and the human, Masaki, had the same connection as Rukia has with Ichigo; it was broken by Isshin believing that Masaki was dead at some point. Do you see any connections here?"
Byakuya simply shook his head.
Unohana mentally prepared herself for what she was about to tell the man in front of her. But now, she was almost one-hundred percent sure.
"Isshin, a Shinigami, married a human, and they had the same link as Ichigo and Rukia: Masaki was dying because of Isshin's Reiatsu. Rukia and Ichigo have the sane connection, and I believe that Rukia is dying. The tests that I'm running will tell me for sure. And last of all ... Hisana was a human, and you a Shinigami. I believe that you shared the same link as Isshin and Masaki, and as Rukia and Ichigo, and that you were, unknowingly, taking Hisana's life force from her. The only difference is, that Hisana died long before I could tell what was going on. But now that we know what has been happening, we can save Rukia."
Byakuya was silent.
"I'm sorry that I had to tell you this, Kuchiki-san, but ... "
"Are you telling me that I am responsible for Hisana's death?"
His voice was emotionless again, and his eyes held nothing. Unohana nodded.
"I believe, but I can't know for sure. Back then, I didn't have any idea of what I know now."
Silence filled the room. Although his eyes held nothing, his Reiatsu had begun to rise, and Unohana felt nervous.
"Anything else?" Byakuya asked.
It was a sign that he did not wish to continue with their conversation. Unohana's eyes lowered to the ground. He would blame himself forever, now that she had told him.
"Yes. In order to break their connection, Rukia has to believe Ichigo dead. Also ... Michio and Raye, whenever they are around each other, their power is un-controlable. I think it best that Ichigo leave to the human world as soon as possible ... and that either Raye or Michio leave with him. We will tell Rukia that both died on a trip to Earth. The shock and devastation should snap their connection."
"Very well."
He knew this was going to happen, that Rukia would have to believe Ichigo dead.
"Also ... "
Unohana paused, cutting herself off as she watched the sixth division captain. He was more calm now.
"What is it?"
"... Nothing. Nothing important. Sorry to have bothered you. You should speak to Ichigo, Kuchiki-san."
He turned and walked out of the room as Unohana used Shunpo to move quickly from the forth division's quarters. Soon, she found herself outside the door of Rukia and Ichigo's small house. She knocked, and was greeted with a scream of "Moooooommy!" from Raye, who was toddling around the room.
The little girl fell on her diapered butt and began to cry as Rukia walked into the room, smiling tiredly as she picked up the baby girl.
"Hello, Unohana-san. Come in."
"I have the results, Rukia."
She noticed the brief flash of fear in Rukia's eyes.
"Y-yes, you'd better sit down for a minute while I put Raye down for her nap. Michio's already sleeping ... "
Unohana nodded and sat down, moving a pink, fluffy, bunny out of her way. She had already decided what she would tell Rukia; since Ichigo was leaving, she wouldn't be sick anymore ... so there was no reason to tell the young woman that she was, indeed, dying.
When Rukia came back into the room, she sat down across from Unohana, a scared look on her face.
"Well, I have good news, and some other news that I hope is good."
Rukia seemed to relax a little as Unohana took a deep breath.
"You're fine. The tests I ran ... it's not what was wrong with Hisana-san. And, I also know why you're so sick."
"Why?"
She hated telling Rukia this right before Ichigo left. But if Ichigo was to 'die', Rukia needed something to keep her going, something to give her hope.
"Rukia, you're pregnant."
July 23rd, 2009 — 2:31 PM
"R-Rukia ... "
Unohana looked up from the chart she was going over and smiled when she saw Ichigo's amber eyes open sleepily. His head turned her way, shakily, as he asked again,
"Where's Rukia?"
"Let me get her."
Putting down the chart, Unohana walked to the other side of the room where Rukia was playing with Michio and Anyame. The two were having some sort of tea party, but Anyame was making a mess more than she was playing.
"Rukia?"
"Hm?" Rukia smiled softly as she ruffled Anyame's soft hair. The girl's tiny hands came up to try and rub it back in place, a frown on her little pink lips.
"Ichigo's awake."
"Dada!" Anyame yelled, giggling as she began to toddle over to Ichigo's bed. Rukia stood to her feet and took Michio's hand before following her bouncy baby. Anyame was still giggling, jumping up and down, trying to get up on Ichigo's bed.
Rukia lifted her and put her in Ichigo's arms as soon as he had pulled himself into a sitting position.
Questioning amber eyes stared into Rukia's as Ichigo asked, "You alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. So are the children."
"And ... where is Byakuya? Did ... I get him back safe?"
Rukia nodded, reaching out to take Ichigo's hand into hers. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed it as she stared at the ground.
"Ichigo ...Michio was talking to Raye in his dreams again. Um ... last night, we suddenly realized that his Reiatsu, and Raye's, was spiking, so Nii-sama has gone to Earth to bring Raye back. With her and Michio together, their power will be greater, but we can protect them here. For a short while."
"Oh. Isn't Byakuya hurt, though?" Ichigo asked, smiling as Anyame began sucking on his shirt.
"He insisted that he was the one to go."
"I see."
Silence fell between them until Ichigo looked up to see Rukia on the verge of tears.
"You almost died," she said quietly, slowly. "You almost died ... again."
He reached out a hand and pressed it to her cheek as he stared deeply into her eye.
"Sorry, Rukia. Sorry for almost leaving you. But please know, I'll never leave you if I have the choice. Like it or not, I'm here to stay."
"Stay stay!" Anyame chirped, reaching out for Rukia to pick her up. Nodding, Rukia finally smiled.
"Don't leave us again, please Ichigo."
July 23rd, 2009 - 8:02 PM
"Stop pacing," Rukia snapped.
Ichigo fell into the chair closest to him with a sigh. Rukia was sitting beside him in another chair, a sleeping Anyame in her arms while Michio prowled around on the floor, in search of any tiny bugs to torture. Renji was leaning up against a far wall, and Ichigo, who had just sat down, stood up again to resume pacing.
He swore he could hear Rukia's teeth grinding together as his feet made a pattern across the ground.
"Daddy, if ya keep pacin' then you'll wear a hole in the floor and falls through," Michio said happily. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as Michio's tiny fingers reached out to pick up a roach. The tiny fingers came closer and closer to small pink lips as Ichigo bolted forward.
"No eating the bugs, Michio!"
The little child pouted; Rukia smiled as she watched Ichigo begin to take part in playing with the bug.
Their amusement was only stopped when Byakuya came through the door, his larger hand encasing a smaller, pale one as curious, bright blue eyes looked around the room.
"Raye!"
Rukia ran forward and embraced her daughter, closing her eyes as the little girl climbed up onto her lap.
"Mommy!"
She was dressed in a simple, white, sleeveless dress that swirled out around her legs. It cut off about three inches above her knees and her feet were bare. Byakuya said,
"I took her as she was. We had no time to grab anything; Kurosaki Isshin said he could already feel a strange Reiatsu in the air."
"Thank you," Rukia whispered.
Somehow, in his dreams in the past few nights, Michio had been keeping in contact with Raye, and their Reiatsu had exploded. The only way to ensure her safety was to bring her to the Soul Society, where she could be protected.
"Daddy?" Raye asked softly, looking up to Ichigo.
Ichigo smiled and leaned down beside the little girl, ruffling her hair as she continued to hold tightly onto Rukia. Her pale skin seemed even more pale in the light and her almost-black hair seemed to shine. Tiny feet kicked back and forth.
"Hey, sweetie."
Suddenly, a small head poked out from behind Rukia. Blue eyes met amber and Anyame puckered her lips together as she stared at her sister.
"Mama," she said happily to Raye, pointing to Rukia. Raye smiled and nodded, her cheeks growing the smallest bit pink as she reached out to touch her sister's hand. Michio then decided that his sister was more interesting that the bug and walked over, dropping down in front of all of them. Anyame chose to sit in Michio's lap, and the three children just stared at each other for a minute or two. Ichigo stepped back, letting them.
"Raye," Anyame said, pointing her small finger to the blue eyed little girl. Raye nodded. Anyame asked, "Sissy?"
"Yup!" Raye happily agreed. Ichigo smiled as he watched them all.
"Ah, sorry to break up this sweet little moment," Renji said, breaking in softly. "But the little squirts need to go to the sixth division's quarters; we've set up protection for them for the time being ... but ... "
"Don't speak here," Ichigo said firmly. "Don't scare them."
Raye let Rukia carry her and Ichigo picked Anyame in his arms; Michio protested to being held and traveled along behind them, chasing random bugs. Once they arrived and had settled the kids, who were yawning deeply, into make-shift beds, Ichigo sat down with Rukia, Byakuya, Renji, and Rukia's captain, Ukitake.
No one spoke for a minute until Ichigo said:
"How long do we have to run?"
Silence was thick in the room.
"We can protect the children, and defeat threats, but no matter how many threats are removed, there will always be a new one. In this case, hiding is the only way." Renji's voice was low and quiet.
"Hiding how?" Rukia asked, her violet eyes scanning the faces in the room. "Urahara-san sealed Raye and Michio's Reiatsu with that micro-chip of his, and even that wouldn't work forever, although it did do that job when they were small. How can we hide?"
Although no one spoke, Rukia could tell that there was something she wasn't being told, and from the look on Ichigo's face, he felt the same. But he was the first to ask about it.
"What are you hiding?"
His voice was firm and strong, and his amber eyes were intense as he stared ahead of him. Byakuya finally spoke, but it seemed as he if didn't want to.
"There is an experimental process that has been proven to work. We ... have had Urahara-san's help on it, but he refuses to come to the Soul Society. It is basically a more in-depth version of the Reiatsu chip that he gave Michio and Raye before. I has side-effects. That, and the fact that those who know of your children's power will not be stopped unless they are killed, are the only down-sides to this procedure."
"Side-effects?" Rukia asked, worry lacing her voice.
This time, it was Ukitake who spoke.
"Two of seven people that volunteered to have the new product tested on them have either died or are very ill."
Rukia's eyes went wide and Ichigo clenched his hands tight.
"No," he said firmly.
"Ichigo ... " Rukia began.
"No, Rukia, there is, has to be, another way. I can't let our children do something like this. If two in seven died, one in three might. No."
"But what if there's not another way?" she asked quietly, her eyes falling to the ground; it was as if she no longer realized, or cared, that anyone besides her and Ichigo were in the room as he reached his hand out, lifting her gaze to his.
Her violet eyes stared into Ichigo's amber ones as he reached out to take her small hand into his. She gripped to it tightly, as if it were a life-line.
"Rukia, I just got you and Michio and Anyame back ... I'm not risking it."
Another voice interrupted, and Ichigo looked up to see Byakuya on his feet, his eyes cold and emotionless.
"It is the only way, Kurosaki. We cannot afford another attack like this on Soul Society. We will dispatch a group of high-ranked Shinigami, including yourself, to Aizen. The children will receive treatment, and will be watched over carefully by Unohana-san."
"We don't want that," Ichigo said. "The risk is too high. We'll take the children back to Earth, and I'll protect them there, if you won't have them in Soul Society."
"And what of the people in Aizen's way?" Byakuya's voice was beginning to rise a little as Rukia winced. "People will die, Kurosaki. The risk is not too great, when you consider the lives at stake."
"I don't want this for my kids, Byakuya. If you'd had a child with Hisana and were faced with this decision, what would you chose?"
"I'd take the risk, because I realize how many people would die if I didn't."
"That's not true and you know it!" Ichigo yelled, standing to his feet, leaving Rukia to bite her lip, her hands folded in her lap. "You're asking me to risk the life of my kids!"
"I'm asking you to do what's right!"
It was the first time Rukia had ever heard her brother's voice rise so high. She looked around the room, her gaze going from her captain, who looked only slightly surprised, to Renji, who was watching the verbal match with interest and worry.
"Ichigo ... just please ... " she began.
"No, Rukia. Damn it! There is no way that I will willingly let our kids, our kids, Rukia, take that risk!"
Rukia winced and seemed to back away from Ichigo, who's Reiatsu was spilling out in his anger; she seemed scared of him.
"It's not your choice," Byakuya said slowly, his voice quiet again and his eyes cold. "In light of the dozens of lives lost already, and those who will die, it is a risk that has to be taken."
"Not my choice, my ass!" Ichigo yelled. "They're my kids! What do you mean, not my choice?"
"Daddy?"
Ichigo turned around quickly to see a yawning Michio in the doorway. His tiny feet were bare and his hands were rubbing his eyes as he looked around.
"Whatcha yellin' 'bout?"
"Come here, baby," Rukia said quickly, standing to her feet and picking Michio up in her arms before turning her back on the men in the room. "Come with me."
Her whole body was shaking with fear as she walked slowly back into the kids room.
"Mommy scared?" Michio asked, yawning again as Rukia sat him down on his bed; they could both still hear the voices of Ichigo and Byakuya, and now, Renji, who had joined in.
"Yeah, Mommy's scared, baby. She's scared for you and Raye and Anyame."
"Oh. Well, we fine. Can Mommy not be scared now?"
Rukia smiled bravely and kissed Michio on the head. Her eyes betrayed the smile on her face, and Michio wasn't fooled.
"Go back to sleep, baby."
He nodded, and Rukia stayed with him until his eyes slipped closed again. As she left the room, they snapped open, and Michio cried as he listened to his dad fight for him and his sisters. He didn't know what was happening, but his mommy had never looked that scared before.
But he knew his Daddy would protect him and his sisters, and oh yeah! his Mommy, too!
Mommy was always telling him stories of how Daddy always protected her and their friends, even when they didn't want to be protected. So, if he wanted to be protected by his Daddy and held in his arms, he knew that his Daddy would do it.
But when he heard his daddy screaming louder, and when his mommy came into the room and ran over to the bed he and his sisters shared, he knew something was wrong. His Mommy was crying as three men wearing black walked in behind her. He sat up quickly as they pushed his Mommy aside. She fell onto the floor and his Daddy's screaming only became louder.
"Leave them alone!"
The other men in the doorway, the white-haired man and his Uncle Renji, looked like they were doing everything they could to hold themselves back.
What was going on?
Michio screamed as he was picked up by one of the men. He watched as both his sisters were given the same treatment and tried to reach out to them when Anyame began to cry.
"Don't touch ma sisters! No! Lemme go! Daddy! Mommy!"
Tears were beginning to make their way down Michio's face as he was taken from the room. Then, everything seemed to blur as they moved too fast for him to see anything clearly. His Uncle called it "Shun-po".
"No! I want ma daddy!" Michio yelled, trying to get free of the man's grip.
But before they had gone too far away, Michio could still hear the screams of his father, and the cries of his mother.
Then, everything went black.
OK ... sorry if this was confusing! And ... who wants to kill Byakuya now? I don't know who to side with. On one hand, if I had a kid, I'd never put them in danger. On the other hand, what if the risk was 1 in 3, and if it didn't happen, hundreds of people would die?
Please ignore me while I dig through my dusty brain to figure out who to side with ...
Please Review!