Well, it has been a fun time writing this.

Thanks you for everyone that supported this story.

I love you all!

Please read, for the last time, and as always, ENJOY!

Hisana's life had been a whirlwind of long, tedious meetings and events in the first six months of her son's life. She had hoped that things would continue to be quiet and happy, and that she could look after Hikaru quietly, but her home was changing rapidly, and, though she would hate to admit, she was the cause.

When winter was at its deepest, Byakuya called for a meeting for every member of his family. He hadn't told her what his intentions were, so she was just as confused as every other person in attendance. She dressed in full noble finery and took Hikaru in her arms before walking to the Elder's chambers.

She was greeted there by Rukia, who was dressed in her usual shinigami robes. "Do you know what this is about?" Rukia asked. Hisana shook her head. "No, Byakuya wouldn't tell me," she replied. She should have been more annoyed with him but Byakuya knew how to appease her with kindness and romance.

They each entered the large room and was ushered to the Elder's seats high above the rest of the room. Byakuya was there, with several young lords surrounding him and Elders in seats to the left of them. He gave Hisana a quick, tender kiss on the cheek before having her sit beside him in the center of the room. He was also dressed in his full regalia and his face was cool and thoughtful.

All of the other various members of the family entered the room and sat in chairs, mumbling nervously between them. Byakuya stood from his seat next to Hisana and looked at each of them slowly, as they all quieted themselves.

"I have led this family for many years; I have tried to be just, righteous and compassionate to everyone that shares my name. I hoped that if any one of you had complaints with my leadership, we could speak and I could learn and change for the betterment of my house. I never thought that my closest advisers and friends would give me the ultimate betrayal."

Hisana felt heat rise to her cheeks and a lump form in her throat. The crowd was mumbling nervously, but the chatter died down quickly.

"Despite the pain that I feel knowing all that has transpired since the beginning of my lordship, I will not lower myself by executing these people." Byakuya took out a long scroll of paper and read from it with cold intensity. He listed nine of the fifteen Elder's names and they each stood shamefully.

Byakuya had not mentioned Ginrei. He had quietly stripped the man of all of his power and responsibility, but decided to spare him from punishment; the man was of ailing health and, despite everything, Byakuya wanted him to die without animosity.

"My final order, to you that has betrayed me so, is to leave. You will take all of your immediate family, and their families and go from this place. You will all have one month to take everything you own and find a new place to live. You will forever be known as 'Uragiru' not Kuchiki." The murmuring in the crowd grew in volume. No one had ever been stripped of everything, including their name and given a name to forever mark them as betrayers.

Despite the heavy tears the nine former Elders cried, Byakuya glared at them and thundered, "Enough!" The room was achingly silent for a long while, until only Byakuya's smooth, cool voice was the only sound in the room.

"You are no family of mine."

When the snow had finally began to melt, Hisana stood beside her husband, each of them dressed in black robes facing the grave of Ginrei Kuchiki.

Ginrei had been ill for a long while, and he eventually died peacefully in his sleep.

Byakuya had responded quietly to the death. He didn't speak about it to Hisana, but spent a great deal of his time with her and Hikaru to comfort him.

Hisana did shed tears when she learned that he had died, though for the longest time she couldn't understand why. Despite all he had done, she didn't feel that she hated Ginrei. In the last few years she had known him, Hisana pitied the man. He seemed to have so much regret and bitterness in his heart and she was sorry that he died that way; that he died with the same feelings she felt when she died.

The funeral was cloudy and mournful, as he had been the leader of the family for several years. The eldest member of the house groaned on speeches about Ginrei and the afterlife.

Hisana looked away from the grave and up at Byakuya who looked at the grave stoically. She swallowed the ache forming in her throat and took his hand and squeezed it tenderly. He didn't look at her but he did caress her hand in return.

Several family members began to dwindle away, back into the house and away from the sadness of the grave. Hisana stayed with Byakuya until everyone else was gone, then embraced him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and breathed in the scent of her hair.

She pulled away from him and gazed into his eyes sadly. He looked away from her and to the grave before kneeling and dropping a white rose into the grave with the rest of the flowers. "He was like a father to me," he murmured. Hisana placed her hand on his shoulder. "I... I know, Byakuya."

He was silent for several more moments and Hisana felt his body begin to shake lightly. Hisana kneeled next to him and embraced him again, pulling his head to rest against her chest. She felt the wet warmth of tears seep through her kimono and she stroked his hair affectionately. "I'm sorry, Byakuya."

They stayed there for a long while, until the sun finally broke through the thick clouds.

About two months later, when Hikaru was nearly six months old, Hisana found herself sitting through her son's official naming ceremony. Byakuya, and several of his newest advisers, had told Hisana that the naming ceremony was a centuries old tradition. She would need to simply decide who would carry Hikaru through the household from his chambers to the center of the shrine, as the parents were not visibly present at the ceremony, to give the child as much attention as possible.

Hisana immediately asked Rukia to carry him through the household, and Rukia graciously accepted. Byakuya was responsible for planned the remainder of the ceremony and the banquet that was to follow. The eldest member of the family would perform the longest part if the ritual, which was listing the child's ancestors. After that, Hikaru would be blessed profusely and walked slowly back to his chambers.

Hisana dressed her son in beautiful blue, red and violet silk robes that had been worn by Byakuya and his father when they had gone through the ceremony. She was then discretely led to the shrine and sat behind a sheer white screen, where she and Byakuya could still watch the ceremony. Byakuya joined her behind the screen after a few minutes and they quietly talked as spectators began to fill the shrine.

They each watched proudly, as Rukia walked, with smooth confidence, into the shrine holding Hikaru who smiled and babbled at the attention. He was a pretty baby, with long black hair and Byakuya's narrow eyes. The color shined bright and violet like Hisana's, however.

The ceremony did seem to last hours, as the Elder spoke slowly in a deep monotone. "I hereby present to you, Kuchiki Hikaru, twenty-ninth heir to the Kuchiki Household, son of Kuchiki Byakuya, son of Kuchiki Sojun, son of Kuchiki Ginrei..."

Hisana stifled a soft yawn and Byakuya looked at her and laughed lightly. He leaned close to her and whispered, "I know this is tedious, but it will be over soon." Hisana giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's not too bad, but I wasn't expecting this to be so elaborate." Byakuya threw his arm around her waist and kissed her lips gently.

"This is nothing. The ceremony I went through when I became a man was an overnight vigil. I couldn't sleep, or talk or eat. It was awful."

She laughed again in response. "I'm excited to go through it all with him." Byakuya gazed at her, his eyes darkened with passion. "As am I."

~The End~

Thank you so much for reading this.

I know I started this two years ago, and just now finished, but I'm happy with the result.

Thanks to all of my readers, reviewers, alert-ers and favorite-ers.

(I love this set up so much, that I'm going to continue the story in drabble form, writing about Hisana and Byakuya raising Hikaru. If you're interested, please look out for it in the near future.)

I Love you all so much!

Thanks again and please review what you wanna see as a drabble!