I DON'T OWN BLEACH

Beta'd by the lovely ChillyRaven; Thanks for making sure I didn't piss off half my readers!

The Favor

Chapter 25; Ryu

Byakuya can see him fighting against the Espada who took her captive. She watches their movements; the pace between them as fast as the beating of her heart. A strange anxiety settles over her as the sound of the battle echoes freely across the vast desert plains. Sword meeting sword in a definite battle of passion and fury.

She shuts her eyes lost in the clashing rhythm briefly contemplating the path of choices she made to arrive here in this forbidden place. Shaking her head she realizes it's beyond reproach. Her love for the man who spills his blood so freely and without regret. Her mind tries to recall the time before him. Again she shakes her head. She doesn't want to think on it or is it that her heart refuses to acknowledge the time before him. How long and far ago it seems since he came to the manor and his awkward affection won her over.

She notices the crimson scarf draped around his shoulders and smiles. Now he is fighting for her and his pride. She slides down the dilapidated wall when she feels her water break. "Ichigo..." Her voice comes out softly spoken in a whisper yet is carried to his ears. "This baby will come fast."

Ichigo immediately bankai's to speed the battle along.

"Now we are talking Kurosaki!" Grimmjow spits out his release command changing into his ultimate form. "Let me show you real power!" His darts fly out and Ichigo readies his getsuga tensho. Just before sending it to destroy the darts Ichigo frowns. The darts are larger than normal and a deep red color. The darts separate into hundreds and zig zag away from Ichigo toward Byakuya. He flash steps fast between the darts and his wife blocking their attack with his body. "HAHA! I knew you would do that! You are so pathetically predictable Kurosaki."

It was then that she saw them glinting at her feet the gold hairpins Ichigo's father told her to never leave behind. The darts were heading straight for her and she had no choice but to trust in them. Have faith in Ichigo's bloodline and believe in their power. "Don't let them hit you Ichigo!" Byakuya yells out sensing the same reiatsu from the darts and the dagger that took her powers. Clutching the hairpins in her hands she struggles to figure out how to get them to work. "Please help me!" Her mind vaguely recalling Isshin's last words and then Ichigo's story about the puzzles.

"I flip the pieces!" She turns the lotus blossom's upside down and watches to them click into place. The long dangling chain's connect to her wedding band and create a massive shield protectively around her. It was too late Ichigo could only fire off one getsuga before dropping to the ground. The darts logged in his body began to devour him.

Grimmjow appears in front of Byakuya with a large toothy grin on his face. "I told him...I would kill him." He lifts Ichigo limp body and kicks him across the sands destroying a building.

Byakuya watches in shock as the shield flickers and vanishes.

"Now don't take this personal. But you have gotta die too. I can't have his brat coming after me for revenge." Grimmjow reaches out to grab her by the throat.

"Absurd." Byakuya replies looking him straight in the eyes.

"What? That I am gonna kill you?" Grimmjow pulls a dart from his leg and pushes it into Byakuya's shoulder blade.

"Ichigo, isn't dead." Byakuya answers coolly as a spark of black reiatsu flashes up into the sky. In a flash she sees a long mane of orange hair streaking in front of her. Her eyes grow large staring at Ichigo's transformation.

"HAHA! This is awesome! Kurosaki you still have a way of surprising me." Grimmjow grins at Byakuya. "What's wrong gonna cry like the last bitch who saw his true self?"

"I am nothing like her." She watches Ichigo turn to her. Their eyes meet and she can see it. The look of fear in his gold colored eyes. "What are you waiting for? Kill him and let's get out of here. I'm in labor." Byakuya tries to pull the dart from her shoulder but slouches on the ground.

She hears the defining roar of his anger shaking the very dimension of Los Noches. He lifts his hand up calling Zangetsu from the destroyed building he crashed into. Soon as it land in his grasp Ichigo flips it around in his palm facing inwards. His flash step was instantaneous and the blood splatter dripping down to the ground. Ichigo tosses the arm that touched Byakuya to the ground.

"I don't need two arms to beat you!" Grimmjow hurls himself toward his enemy repeating the same words that haunt his mind. "I am still King here!"

Then it was over. His body felt something tear loose inside him. He looks down to see a hole gaping in his chest. "What the-"

"She is mine." The voice is a low growl.

"Fuck..." Grimmjow watches Ichigo's hand close over it, crushing it, returning his heart to the sand he clawed his way out of. His body falls toward the ground dissolving into dust.

She watches him for a moment bearing the loud roar of his victory. Byakuya's eyes gaze into his as he walks over to her and pulls the dart from her body.

"Queenie." His sharp looking claws reach up lightly touching her hair for a moment.

"Give him back to me." She reaches out and touches the mask with her bloody hands. Then watches him bow his head low in front of her. The mask crumbles and Ichigo's body falls into her lap. "Thank you... my other Ichigo."

~/~

"Can you tell me why you felt the need to steal Kenpachi's bell's?"

"Of course." He folds his arms in front of his chest defiantly. "He said something rude about you, Chichiue."

"Come on! Just call me dad alright." Ichigo scratches his head in frustration at the same time the small boy does. "Well, I guess I can't be mad at you for sticking up for your old man eh?"

"I did not defend you. His comment about your intelligence was accurate."

"Oi!"

"He said I lack something, and the Kuchiki family will not survive me." The boy frowns creasing his brows tightly together. "Ridiculous!"

"Lack? You are better at everything than I am. What did he say you were missing?"

"I need t-to play... I refused to play with his annoying daughter!"

"Why don't you want to play with Yachiru anymore. When you were a baby, you were crazy about her." Ichigo watches his son blush and his deep blue eyes tilt to the ground.

"It-It is futile, I will not be influenced by her and her bouncy-"

"I see." Ichigo pats his son on the shoulder trying not to grin to wide and risk pissing him off. "You know I'm a lot younger than your mother. So don't let that stand in your way."

"I-I do NOT like her!" His orange head turns away from his father in irritation. "I'm going for a walk!" He mumbles stomping away.

"Ryu, is in denial again?" Byakuya slides her fingertips down Ichigo's sleeve to rest in his palm.

"Hey you. What did Gramps have to say about Ryu?"

"The Captain- Commander would like to offer him a Captain's seat when Ryu master's his bankai."

"Tch, He could do that before he was five." Ichigo lifts his eyebrows up at Byakuya with a thin grin on his face. "Did you tell him?"

"I did not tell him."

"YACHIRU-SAN STOP GLOMPING ME!"

"Ryu-kushi's 'it'!" She rubs her face against his cheek giggling loudly.

"I do not want to be 'it'! Aren't we too old for tag?"

"Hmm. You have a point. Eight may be too old for tag." Yachiru stop's running and turns toward Ryu. "I know!" She flash steps in front of him pecking him on the cheek.

"W-What game is that!" He rubs at his cheek with his sleeve.

"Kiss and Tell!" She flashes steps away.

"Oi! You better not tell anyone!" Ryu follows right after her close on her heels.

"Why didn't you tell him Byakuya? I thought you were thrilled Ryu is a prodigy."

"He is happy. I will not take that from him. When Ryu is ready he will tell us."

"Fine by me." Ichigo plants a kiss on her cheek.

"Ichigo are you afraid Ryu will have a second personality like you do? I have seen how you watch over him."

"Nah, Urahara told me the secret about women and Soul Society."

"What secret?"

"Mothers... Make every Soul from their reiatsu. Ryu's soul came from you. Looks like I'm the only freak in this family."

"You aren't a freak. The other you may be a bit unbalanced but he is still very much you."

"He told me Ryu invites him into his Spirit World. Ryu has some unique ability to move peoples souls around while they are dreaming."

"He did it with us before he was born and then himself to protect me."

"Ha, Kenpachi better watch himself or one night he might find himself face to face with a lightening dragon and a very cranky version of me. Oh by the way Toshiro and Karin eloped last night."

"What?!" Byakuya frowns stomping away.

"Where are you going?"

"To smack that white-haired punk! He stole a Kuchiki! No one steals a Kuchiki!"

"Punk! You just said punk! HAHA!" Ichigo steers her into their bedroom.

"I do not need to rest. I have...ah." Her voice dies away feeling his large warm hands slide inside her haori and under her uniform to cup her breasts. "Ichigo you are a very, very naughty boy."

"Squeal on me I'll only deny it."

The Favor

Hey all! I hope you all enjoyed the story! I learned so much while writing it. I enjoyed this story much more than any other I believe. Just a reminder A Different Kind of Favor is up and I will be uploading it on the highest priority based on reviews. I have also been asked to continue my Fem stories and I think I will! I do enjoy the male characters so much. Making them Female seems odd at first but I encourage you to read on! You will like it I promise. To the faithful reviewers I want to say a special Thanks. You know who you are. And to the hundred plus lurkers I love you guys too o.-