~*~ Yikes! It's been forever for an update! I'm sorry! I wanted to make sure I got everything right, though. Also, I've been battling some severe writer's block. Luckily I got over it just in time to bring Sins of the Father to a close. I give you Chapter 13 (And an Epilogue) with no further ado.~*~
*~* This will be a double update! *~*
Sins of the Father
"The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children…"
The Merchant of Venice (3.5.1)
Chapter Thirteen
Damages
Wednesday(Evening)
"But you don't know for sure?"
"We can't be certain."
"Cameras?"
"In this ward the security cameras record the halls for about ten minutes, then the footage is recorded over."
"And in the rooms?"
There was a pause. "Not in this ward."
"So what are you doing?"
"Disciplinary measures have been taken…."
Grimmjow let out a heavy sigh as he listened to the conversation between Ichigo and Dr. Kuchiki.
"And Grimmjow's not sure who it was?"
Ichigo's tone was incredulous.
"If he does, he's not talking."
Dr. Kuchiki's reply sounded tired and resigned.
"Why won't you tell them?" Nurse Inoue asked as she gently placed the freshly-filled ice pack onto Grimmjow's bruised cheekbone and eye.
He hissed softly in pain before tenderly laying a hand over hers to hold the pack in place. He could hear Ichigo and Byakuya arguing in the hall.
"No need to get someone in trouble for my own stupidity. I know what it's like to be without a job in this economy," he replied softly.
"Regardless of your actions they had no right to strike you, Grimmjow."
The tenderness and sincerity in her voice made him look up.
"Kon is very lucky. I just hope he knows that."
Orihime laughed quietly and blushed, pulling her hand from his and packing her things.
"And Nel is just as lucky, whether you know it or not," she whispered, barely audible. She then slipped out the door.
His eyes widened marginally, but the bluenette had no time for a further response as Dr. Kurosaki walked through the open door.
"So?" Ichigo demanded, cramming his fists into his jean pockets and leaning against the door jamb.
Grimmjow looked dumbly at him.
"What happened?"
"Someone hit me."
Ichigo rolled his eyes and turned, stalking out to door. Grimmjow watched his figure recede to the end of the hallway, then he turned and headed back. The doctor paused in the doorway, shaking a finger at Grimmjow, moth open to speak. Instead, he turned and completed another circuit.
This time, before he could speak, Grimmjow nodded.
"Yeah, Doc. Just… don't…"
"I won't… Even though I should." Ichigo shook his head. "Just… Tell me one thing…"
" 'A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool'… Problem is, we're both fools."
"More Shakespeare?"
Grimmjow's head jerked up sharply.
"Nel explained it to me."
"Should I translate?" the bluenette asked.
"No, that one I understand…"
Friday
"Pantera."
"Pantera?"
Grimmjow looked up from the purring white kitten at the doctor.
"It's a good name."
"Kind of a lot to live up to, don't you think?" Ichigo laughed.
"It was the name of my mother's cat," Grimmjow said softly, turning his attentions again to the tiny white kitten in his arms.
"You're right," Ichigo agreed, marveling at the sight of this once manic young man cradling a kitten with utmost tenderness. "It is a good name."
Grimmjow looked up sharply, and a slow smile spread across his features.
"Now, here's the food and litter…."
Around an hour later, Ichigo and Grimmjow were laughing at Pantera's antics as she chased a feather on a string, when a sharp rap on the open door's jamb stopped them.
Pantera let out a tiny hiss and darted under the bed. Grimmjow froze where he was and Ichigo rose between him and the visitor.
"I've come to apologize."
Grimmjow slowly rose and moved to stand by Ichigo.
"You have?" Dr. Kurosaki asked warily.
The redhead in the doorway nodded.
"My deepest apologies, Grimmjow."
"Mr. Jaegerjaquez," Grimmjow corrected, scowling. "And what? You think I'll accept?"
"I – eh…" Renji faltered.
Ichigo raised an arm between them, ready to stop a fight, although he couldn't deny Grimmjow would be justified in starting one.
"What do you think, Dr. Abarai?" Grimmjow continued. "Do you think that just because we're a little off…" He faltered, shook his head, then spat, " 'If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us' – oh, if you wrong us – 'shall we not revenge?' "
"Grimmjow," Ichigo growled a soft warning.
Renji fumbled for a moment, as if to say something. Then, disappointment settled on his features, mixed with frustration, and he turned to leave.
"Grimmjow," Ichigo growled again, staring at his patient and analyzing the swift change that had come over him.
But Grimmjow was already softening.
"Dr. Abarai, wait!"
Before Ichigo could stop him, Grimmjow had taken off down the hall after the red-haired doctor.
When they met, Grimmjow started to apologize, his tongue stumbling over the words. He shook his head and said instead:
"'Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none'."
Renji looked thoroughly confused, then he offered a lopsided grin and a short laugh. "Guess it's just m destiny to be a screw-up."
Grimmjow snorted in derision at the comment.
"'It's not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.'"
Renji slowly smiled.
"Yeah, you're right."
Grimmjow shrugged.
"Apology accepted." He offered the doctor his hand.
The redhead shook it and then dismissed himself. Grimmjow returned to his room and the amazed Ichigo who stood leaning against the doorway.
"Maybe you should listen to yourself more often…."
One Month Later
Pantera purred loudly as she napped on Grimmjow's chest. He was reading a coy of Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, and his features were adorned by a foreign expression…
Grimmjow was smiling. Not a forced smile, or a half-hearted smile, what made this so foreign was the way his eyes lit up with the expression.
The past four weeks had passed quickly with daily updates on Nel – who was doing much better and had even secured her own place – and letters, transferred between the two lovers via Dr. Kurosaki.
Together, the doctor and Grimmjow had formulated a plan to get sufficient evidence for Grimmjow's release. There was only one step left, and today, Grimmjow felt confident he could tackle it.
The now familiar knock on the door woke the sleeping kitten, who stretched and yawned fishy breath into Grimmjow's face.
He laughed and fanned the air, straightening into a sitting position that forced Pantera to move. She curled up next to him on the bad and resumed her nap.
"Come in."
"I've a letter for you," Dr. Abarai said as he strolled into the room.
"Where's Dr. Kurosaki?"
"He was detained by a situation with another patient, but he said he'd be by shortly. Asked if I would make sure you got this letter." Renji handed the rosy scented envelope to the bluenette and scratched the cat between the ears.
Grimmjow laid the book down and took the letter, his smile growing as he admired the flowing script and inhaled the heady scent.
"What are you reading today?" Renji asked, bringing him back to the present.
"The Merchant of Venice."
"Ah, more Shakespeare to confuse Ichigo?" the redheaded doctor laughed.
"No, I plan to explain my former riddles."
"What are those?"
Grimmjow looked up and smirked. "'The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children'."
Renji's eyes widened and his eyebrows rose.
"Is that what this has all been about? Your father?"
Grimmjow laughed again, more softly and with less mirth this time.
"No, no… In the quote it's the literal sense, but I mean it as a more… collective usage of the word."
"Geez, I'm ten minutes late and you start pouring out your soul to this riff raff?" Ichigo teased, slapping Renji on the back.
"If you'll excuse me," the redhead replied respectfully. "Ichigo; Grimmjow; Pantera." He inclined his head in turn, scratched the kitten's ears once more, and then exited.
"I see you got the letter."
"Yeah. I can read it later." Grimmjow placed the envelope on the end table as Ichigo settled into the chair by the door.
"Ready to end this?" he asked the doctor.
"Whenever you are."
"'The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children'… I gave you that clue a while back… Well, here's what I should have said…" Grimmjow sighed before continuing. "The 'sins of the father' refer to the screw-ups of society. 'The children'…That's my generation, Dr. Kurosaki."
Ichigo motioned for him to continue.
"I was in college, majoring in theatre management. Nel and I were engaged. I had one semester left on my scholarship, and one semester of required classes. I thought I was doing what I should, you know? You do your best in high school, go to college, get a degree, get a job and, well…" He shrugged, sighed, then continued, "I thought I'd try to get ahead of the game, apply for a job directing, maybe secure a small role in a local production, work as a stagehand, anything… Every interview – 'You don't have enough experience.' I thought, Maybe when I have my degree I can get a job."
"But you couldn't?" Ichigo prompted when Grimmjow fell silent.
"No," he growled. He composed himself before adding, "And the fact that I had finished school only compounded it. It was an utter slap in the face. I grew depressed; depressed because I lived with my dad still and because I couldn't take care of Nel like she deserved – deserves… Nel finished her schooling at the end of the summer, said she'd get a job to support us. I told her no, it was my place to support us if we were going to further our relationship… So I branched out, applied for any job posted… I was either too qualified because I had a degree, or I didn't have enough experience." The last word came out as a growl.
Grimmjow paused and buried his face in his hands. Ichigo waited patiently a few moments.
"We can continue this tomorrow if you wish, Grimmjow," he assured the bluenette.
"No, now." Grimmjow's words were choked and his eyes glistened slightly when he looked up. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Then my father passed. His funeral took up most of the funds he'd saved up. I was kicked out of our house by my aunt. That's how Nel and I ended up living together… But what little money my dad had been able to leave for me was running out, and I still couldn't get a job. Nel was waitressing, but it barely covered her needs… Finally, I went –"
He stopped and looked up at Ichigo. A hint of a smile crossed his lips and he turned and picked up Pantera, stroking her fur as he went on.
"I acted as though I'd totally lost it. I started raving, pretending when I stopped that I had no recollection of it. I got violent… Never with Nel, no, I'd never do that… But I threw things… Broke things… Always things I'd paid for… I guess I finally convinced her… Then I got in her face, yelling and raving like a madman… I was probably foaming at the mouth, even… And Nel turned me in… Poor, poor, dear Nel…"
"She forgives you, you know," Ichigo assured him. "She knew what you were doing all along, Grimmjow."
"She knew that I was removing myself from her life, in hopes she could drop my dead weight and move on?"
Ichigo nodded.
Grimmjow smirked. "I must be really crazy, eh, Doc? To not know that she saw right through me…"
"On the contrary," remarked the doctor, "I think that's the sanest thing I've heard since the first time I walked in these doors."
"So…" Grimmjow prompted anxiously.
"I'll have to talk it over with Dr. Kuchiki, but I'd say you'll be leaving here by Friday."
Grimmjow smiled at that, but his smile quickly changed to a frown.
"But where will I go?"
"You can stay with Kon –"
"No, no. I can't impose –"
"I insist, Grimmjow."
Grimmjow studied the doctor a moment, then relented. "I never be able to repay you… First Nel, and now…"
"Just excel… When you do get on your feet."
"No problems there. I fooled these guys for a year."
Ichigo smiled at his patient.
"I'm just afraid we won't make very good references."
"Yeah," the bluenette agreed, "that might not be such a good idea."
Ichigo rose to leave.
"Hey, Doc… How do you do it…? This psychology stuff?"
Ichigo grinned.
"'Listen to many, speak to a few.'"
A broad grin broke across Grimmjow's features.
Friday
Grimmjow stood at the door to his room. He took a deep breath and looked about the empty space. The bed was stripped bare, save for his old blue pants and shirt, and few other furnishings remained.
"Well, Pantera," he whispered, cradling her against his white suit coat. "This is it."
The bluenette opened the door to meet Dr. Kurosaki. The psychologist held a crate for the kitten. Grimmjow carefully placed her in it, straightened his coat, ran his hands through his hair…
Dr. Kurosaki laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You're fine… You'll be fine."
They got into the elevator and slowly made their way to the ground floor. As the bell dinged and the doors began to opened, Grimmjow whispered, "'Boldness be my friend.'"
He stepped from the elevator and froze in place.
Nel stood only a few feet away, wearing a mint green dress that hugged her curves and nearly matched her hair. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her.
She smiled and stepped up to him.
"'Speak low if you speak love.'"
"Oh, Nel," Grimmjow whispered.
~*~ I hope you enjoyed reading! Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout this journey! I will post the Epilogue shortly! Please Review and/or Favorite if you liked it! You can also visit me at ishtar-tiger deviantart com. I now give you the Epilogue and my fondest farewells (for now)! ~*~